First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1inventory
noun in·ven·to·ry \ˈin-vən-ˌtȯr-ē\
: a complete list of the things that are in a place
: a supply of goods that are stored in a place
: the act or process of making a complete list of the things that are in a place : the act or process of making an inventory
plural in·ven·to·ries
Full Definition of INVENTORY
1
a : an itemized list of current assets: as (1) : a catalog of the property of an individual or estate (2) : a list of goods on hand b : a survey of natural resources c : a list of traits, preferences, attitudes, interests, or abilities used to evaluate personal characteristics or skills
3
: the quantity of goods or materials on hand : stock
4
: the act or process of taking an inventory
— in·ven·to·ri·al \ˌin-vən-ˈtȯr-ē-əl\ adjective
— in·ven·to·ri·al·ly \-ē-ə-lē\ adverb
See inventory defined for English-language learners
See inventory defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of INVENTORY
Middle English inventarie, inventorie, from Anglo-French inventaire, inventorie, from Latin inventarium, from inventum thing found, topic, neuter of inventus
Other Business Terms
Rhymes with INVENTORY
a priori, allegory, amatory, auditory, bedtime story, cacciatore, castratory, category, con amore, cover story, crematory, damnatory, decretory, dilatory, dormitory, excretory, expletory, feudatory, fumitory, Göteborg, gustatory, gyratory, horror story, hortatory, hunky-dory, laudatory, lavatory, mandatory, migratory, minatory, monitory, Montessori, morning glory, nugatory, offertory, oratory, overstory, piscatory, precatory, predatory, prefatory, probatory, promissory, promontory, purgatory, repertory, Ruwenzori, signatory, statutory, sudatory, territory, transitory, understory, vibratory, vomitory, yakitori
2inventory
verb
: to make a complete list of (the things in a place) : to make an inventory of (something)
inventoriedinventory·ing
Full Definition of INVENTORY
transitive verb
: to make an inventory of : catalog
See inventory defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of INVENTORY
1602
Other Business Terms
INVENTORY Defined for Kids
1inventory
noun in·ven·to·ry \ˈin-vən-ˌtȯr-ē\
plural in·ven·to·ries
Definition of INVENTORY for Kids
1
: a supply of goods <Inventory is low.>
2
: a list of items (as goods on hand)
3
: the act or process of making a list of items
2inventory
verb
in·ven·to·riedin·ven·to·ry·ing
Definition of INVENTORY for Kids
: to make a complete list of <Store workers inventoried the stock.>
Medical Dictionary
inventory
noun in·ven·to·ry \ˈin-vən-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr-\
plural in·ven·to·ries
Medical Definition of INVENTORY
1
: a questionnaire designed to provide an index of individual interests or personality traits
2
: a list of traits, preferences, attitudes, interests, or abilities that is used in evaluating personal characteristics or skills
Learn More About INVENTORY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: inventory controlPrevious Word in the Dictionary: inventorizeAll Words Near: inventory
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up inventory? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).