To Invent Once Meant to Find
To invent is to create something new. The Latin verb means to come upon, and discovery and invention were once the same act.
To invent is to create something that did not exist before. The Latin *invenire* means to come upon or find, and for centuries English used *invent* for discovery too. The modern split — you discover what already exists and invent what does not — is a later refinement, and patent law depends on keeping it.
- To create something new. *Invent a device.*
- To fabricate. *Invent an excuse.*
- Invention — something invented. *A useful invention.*
- Inventory — a list of what is found. *Take an inventory.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | invent | Invent a system. |
| Past | invented | She invented it. |
| Noun | invention | A clever invention. |
| Person | inventor | A prolific inventor. |
| Related | inventory | A full inventory. |
How it is used in a sentence
- You discover a law and invent a machine.The modern distinction.
- He invented an excuse.Fabricated.
- An inventory is a list of things found.Same root.
Discovery and invention
- Discovery — finding something that already exists
- Invention — creating something that did not
- Patent law — protects inventions, not discoveries
- Laws of nature — discovered, and not patentable
- The line — often disputed, especially in biotechnology
From Latin *invenire*, to come upon, from *in* and *venire*, to come. *Inventory* is a list of what has been found.
Discover or invent?
You discover what already exists, and invent what did not. Patent law depends on the distinction.
Are invent and inventory related?
Yes. An inventory is a record of what was found, from the same Latin verb meaning to come upon.