innovation

[in-uh-vey-shuhn]

noun

1. something new or different introduced.

   numerous innovations in the high school curriculum.

2. the act of innovating; introduction of new things or methods.

innovation

/ ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən /

noun

1. something newly introduced, such as a new method or device

2. the act of innovating

Other Word Forms

• innovational adjective
• innovationist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of innovation¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Late Latin innovātiōn- (stem of innovātiō ); innovate, -ion

Example Sentences

The region also is home to one of the country’s recent pasta innovations—spaghetti all’assassina, or “murderer’s style”—invented in Bari in the 1960s.

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David Min, Walt Disney Co.’s vice president of innovation, said he believes micro dramas will continue to do well, especially with younger audiences accustomed to watching entertainment on their phones.

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“The question is, do you want to underweight what is this primary driver of innovation, growth, profit margins?” said Josh Emanuel, chief investment officer at Wilshire.

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As a young engineer living in America today, I hope for a future with plentiful opportunity, continued innovation and shared empathy for those less fortunate.

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Even so, Ms. Gaul argues, it stands for “maternal lines of knowledge” that persist today despite “the innovations and ruptures of modernization,” continuing to shape what will “taste Egyptian” to real Egyptians.

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Related Words

• modernization 

When To Use

What does innovation mean?

Innovation can refer to something new, such as an invention, or the practice of developing and introducing new things.An innovation is often a new product, but it can also be a new way of doing something or even a new way of thinking. Innovation is most commonly associated with business and technology, but it happens in any field where people introduce change, including the arts, medicine, politics, cooking, language—even philosophy and religion.Example: The internet changed society and is often considered the ultimate example of innovation, but it was built on the backs of many smaller, previous innovations.