Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Invention has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
the creation of something in the mind
"The sudden invention of a clever excuse allowed him to avoid answering the difficult question without ever speaking a word."
a creation (a new device or process) resulting from study and experimentation
"The lightbulb stands as a true invention, representing years of dedicated study and experimentation to create a new source of artificial light."
the act of inventing
"The invention of the smartphone revolutionized how we communicate and access information."
Something invented.
"The new smartphone was an invention that changed how we communicate."
The word "invention" entered Middle English from Latin inventiō, originally meaning the act of discovering or finding something new. It eventually replaced an older Germanic term for the same concept while retaining its core sense of creation through discovery.