inventer French · revision 16691

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=second half of the 15th century, Mistère du Viel Testament|origins=la veniō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛ̃.vɑ̃.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''inventer'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed on the stem of [[inventeur]],^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|4, 790b) which was borrowed (1454) from [[la|inventor|t=finder, inventor]],^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) from [[m|la|inveniō|t=to come upon, find]], from [[m|la|in-]] and [[m|la|veniō|t=to come]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873) [[invention]] (1431) is likewise from [[m|la|inventiō]], properly “finding”, the sense kept in the “invention de la Sainte Croix” (1270), the finding of the True Cross.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Littré relates the verb directly to [[m|la|inventum]], the supine of the Latin verb.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==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”.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==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”.^(TLFi) Familiar phrases mock someone of limited wit: ''il n'a pas inventé la poudre'', ''le fil à couper le beurre''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary) In Berry and Normandy ''s'inventer'' meant “to think of something to do”.^(Littré 1873) [[réinventer]] is recorded in 1867.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1431 – [[invention]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1454 – [[inventeur]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * Second half of the 15th century – “To create something new”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1522 – “To imagine”, Jean Bouchet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1640 – “To make up (a lie)”, Oudin.^(TLFi)

+ * 1867 – [[réinventer]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|invent]], create or discover something new: ''les Chinois ont inventé l'imprimerie''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To think up, devise: ''inventer un jeu''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To make up, [[m|en|fabricate]] (a story, an excuse): ''une histoire inventée de toutes pièces''.^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(familiar)'' ''Il n'a pas inventé la poudre'', ''le fil à couper le beurre'': he is not very bright.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[réinventer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[invention]]

+ * [[inventeur]]

+ * [[inventif]]

+ * [[inventaire]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}