Invent
/ɪnˈvɛnt/noun
To create or devise something new, or to make up a story or excuse.
Did you know?Invent comes from Latin invenire, and in classical usage it often meant to discover, uncover, or come upon something already there, which is why “invention” originally carried the energy of revelation, not just creation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gwa-
“to go, come”
Latin
Latin
venīre
“to come”
Latin
Latin
invenīre
“to come upon, find, discover”
Old French
Old French
inventer
“to devise, find out”
Middle English
English
inventen
“to devise, contrive, discover”
Modern English
English
invent
“to create or devise something new”
Explore more surprising origins