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inventer

Etymology and origin of the French word inventer

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Back-formation
First attested
second half of the 15th century, Mistère du Viel Testament
Ultimate origin
Latin (veniō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɛ̃.vɑ̃.te/[1]

Forms

inventer[1]

Etymology

It is formed on the stem of inventeur,[2][3][4][5][1][6] which was borrowed (1454) from Latin inventor (“finder, inventor”),[7] from inveniō (“to come upon, find”), from in- and veniō (“to come”).[7][8] invention (1431) is likewise from inventiō, properly “finding”, the sense kept in the “invention de la Sainte Croix” (1270), the finding of the True Cross.[7] Littré relates the verb directly to inventum, the supine of the Latin verb.[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Mistère du Viel Testament (second half of the 15th century; the GLLF gives 1458) has it in the sense “to create something new”.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Jean Bouchet (1522) uses it for “to imagine, find by one's imagination”, and Oudin (1640) for “to make up something one wants to pass off as true”.[2] Familiar phrases mock someone of limited wit: il n'a pas inventé la poudre, le fil à couper le beurre.[4][1] In Berry and Normandy s'inventer meant “to think of something to do”.[8] réinventer is recorded in 1867.[7]

Timeline

  • 1431 – invention.[7]
  • 1454 – inventeur.[7]
  • Second half of the 15th century – “To create something new”.[2]
  • 1522 – “To imagine”, Jean Bouchet.[2]
  • 1640 – “To make up (a lie)”, Oudin.[2]
  • 1867 – réinventer.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To invent, create or discover something new: les Chinois ont inventé l'imprimerie.[4][1]
  2. To think up, devise: inventer un jeu.[4]
  3. To make up, fabricate (a story, an excuse): une histoire inventée de toutes pièces.[2][1]
  4. (familiar) Il n'a pas inventé la poudre, le fil à couper le beurre: he is not very bright.[4][1]

Word family

  • réinventer
  • invention
  • inventeur
  • inventif
  • inventaire

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 790b
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Inventer.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/inventer. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·