Other forms: invented, inventing, invents
To invent is to think up and build something that never existed before. Invent a machine, who invented it, invent an excuse.
It also means to make up: inventing an excuse. The two senses are the same act judged differently. Note discover, which is finding what was already there — you discover a law and invent a machine, and patent law turns on exactly that line. The Latin means to come upon.
1verbinventTo think up and build something that never existed.
“Nobody knows who first invented the wheel.”
2verbverbTo make something up.
“She invented a story about a sick aunt so she could leave work early.”
invent is a creating.
Latin invenire means to come upon or find — in plus venire, to come. Advent and convene come from the same coming.
Proto-Indo-European
*gʷem-
Latin
inventus
Old French
inventer
Middle English
inventen
English, today
invent
Built from
From Middle English inventen, borrowed from Old French inventer, from Latin inventus, perfect passive participle of inveniō (“come upon, meet with, find, discover”), from in (“in, on”) + veniō (“come”); see venture. Compare advent, covent, event, prevent, etc. Displaced native āþenċan.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA