Invention
/ɪnˈvɛnʃən/noun
The act of creating something new, or the thing created.
Did you know?Latin inventiō came from inveniō, meaning “to come upon” or “discover,” so the word’s oldest energy is less “making” and more “unearthing.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wen-
“to strive after, desire, seek”
Latin
Latin
venire
“to come”
Latin
Latin
invenīre
“to come upon, find, discover”
Late Latin
Latin
inventiō
“a finding, discovery”
Old French
Old French
invention
“finding, discovery; device, contrivance”
Middle English
English
invention
“the action of finding or devising; a contrivance”
Modern English
English
invention
“the creation of something new, or the thing created”
Explore more surprising origins