English
invent
Invent comes from Latin inventus ‘discovered, having been discovered’, from veniō ‘come’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷem-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷem-‘to come, to step’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷm̥yéti‘to come’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gʷəniō‘to come’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEveniō‘come’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinveniō‘come upon, meet with, find, discover’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinventus‘discovered, having been discovered’perfect passive participle of inveniō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400inventer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inventen
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588invent
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷem-‘to come, to step’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷm̥yéti‘to come’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gʷəniō‘to come’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEveniō‘come’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinveniō‘come upon, meet with, find, discover’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinventus‘discovered, having been discovered’perfect passive participle of inveniō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400inventer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inventen
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588invent
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “Accurſt be he that firſt inuented war”.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷem- ‘to come, to step’
come, coming, base, basic, basis, bass, revenue, cum, venue, pug, contravention, quim, 57 more
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷm̥yéti ‘to come’
through Proto-Italic *gʷəniō ‘to come’
convenience, misadventure, 23 more
through Latin veniō ‘come’
event, avenue, adventure, convention, souvenir, advent, intervene, provenance, convene, circumvention, revenant, contravene, 24 more
Today it means
verb To design a new process or mechanism.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʷem- / invent