inventor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɪnˈwɛn.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iɱˈvɛn.tor]^[1]

Forms

inventor m (genitive inventōris, feminine inventrīx); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin inveniō (“to find, discover”) + -tor, from in- and veniō (“to come”).^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨veniō⟩ to Proto-Italic *gʷn̥-je/o- (“to come”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷm̥-ye/o- (“to come”), and notes that nouns in ⟨-ventiō⟩ may be inherited or recent formations.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Ennius, of an originator.^[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant an originator, inventor, from Ennius; one who devises or plans, a contriver, author, from Terence; and in Lucretius a discoverer, finder.^[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means inventor, discoverer.^[6] Medieval Latin used it for an arbitrator.^[7] English inventor (c. 1500, first “discoverer”) is from it, and it survives as Spanish inventor and Italian inventore.^[8]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of an originator.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a contriver.^[2][4]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of a discoverer.^[2][4]
• c. 1500 – English inventor is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A discoverer, finder.^[2]
2. An originator, inventor.^[2][5]
3. A contriver, author (of a plan).^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin) An arbitrator.^[7]

Related words

• inveniō
• inventiō
• inventum
• veniō
• English inventor

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com