devise

[dih-vahyz]

verb (used with object)

devised, devising 

1. to contrive, plan, or elaborate; invent from existing principles or ideas.

   to devise a method.

2. Theater.,  to develop (a play) collaboratively with the performers.

   Based on the lives of women in engineering, the students devised the play themselves.

3. Law.,  to assign or transmit (property) by will.

4. Archaic.,  to imagine; suppose.

verb (used without object)

devised, devising 

1. to form a plan; contrive.

noun

1. Law.

   1. the act of disposing of property, especially real property, by will.

   2. a will or clause in a will disposing of property, especially real property.

   3. the property so disposed of.

devise

/ dɪˈvaɪz /

verb

1. to work out, contrive, or plan (something) in one's mind

2. (tr) law to dispose of (property, esp real property) by will

3. obsolete,  (tr) to imagine or guess

noun

1. 1. a disposition of property by will

   2. the property so transmitted Compare bequeath

2. a will or clause in a will disposing of real property Compare bequest

Other Word Forms

• deviser noun
• predevise verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of devise¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; (verb) Middle English devisen “to inspect, design, compose,” from Old French deviser, from unattested Vulgar Latin dēvīsāre, for unattested dīvīsāre, frequentative of Latin dīvidere “to divide” ( divide ); (noun) device

Word History and Origins

Origin of devise¹

C15: from Old French deviser to divide, apportion, intend, from Latin dīvidere to _divide

Synonym Study

See prepare.

Example Sentences

Her campaign devised that claim from a clip of the Republican musing about how a higher sales tax could be used to eliminate the income tax.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When a player wins or loses a match, their rating change depends on the relative strength of their opponent—a system devised by Hungarian physicist Arpad Elo more than 50 years ago.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Green Giant, devised because the peas themselves were considered giant, traces to 1925, and his signature phrase to the 1960s.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Everett encouraged the parties to devise an alternative restructuring plan for his review.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The UK government has already promised to devise clearer and stricter rules that will tell immigration officials and judges how to interpret the right to family life.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• arrange 
• come up with 
• concoct 
• construct 
• craft 
• create 
• design 
• discover 
• forge 
• formulate 
• hatch 
• invent 
• mastermind 
• prepare 
• work out