inventory

[in-vuhn-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR inventory ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural in·ven·to·ries.

a complete listing of merchandise or stock on hand, work in progress, raw materials, finished goods on hand, etc., made each year by a business concern.

the objects or items represented on such a list, as a merchant's stock of goods.

the aggregate value of a stock of goods.

raw material from the time of its receipt at an industrial plant for manufacturing purposes to the time it is sold.

a detailed, often descriptive, list of articles, giving the code number, quantity, and value of each; catalog.

a formal list of movables, as of a merchant's stock of goods.

a formal list of the property of a person or estate.

a tally of one's personality traits, aptitudes, skills, etc., for use in counseling and guidance.

a catalog of natural resources, especially a count or estimate of wildlife and game in a particular area.

the act of making a catalog or detailed listing.

verb (used with object), in·ven·to·ried, in·ven·to·ry·ing.

to make an inventory of; enter in an inventory; catalog.

to take stock of; evaluate: to inventory one's life and accomplishments.

to summarize: to inventory the progress in chemistry.

to keep an available supply of (merchandise); stock.

verb (used without object), in·ven·to·ried, in·ven·to·ry·ing.

to have value as shown by an inventory: stock that inventories at two million dollars.

Origin of inventory

1375–1425; late Middle English inventorie < Medieval Latin inventōrium; see invent, -tory²

Related formsin·ven·to·ri·a·ble, adjectivein·ven·to·ri·al, adjectivein·ven·to·ri·al·ly, adverbo·ver·in·ven·to·ried, adjectivepre·in·ven·to·ry, noun, plural pre·in·ven·to·ries.

Synonyms for inventory

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR inventory ON THESAURUS.COM

5. roster, record, register, account. See list¹.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for inventory

Contemporary Examples of inventory

It has been rumored that Ebola is in inventory at high-level labs in many countries, some of which are not our friends.
The Sham, Scaremongering Guide to Ebola
Abby Haglage
November 20, 2014
The group holds territory, and manages an inventory of heavy military and civilian equipment.
Air Force Pilots Say They're Flying Blind Against ISIS
Dave Majumdar
October 10, 2014
Edmond began the inventory of looted objects after the liberation and before Paul returned to France.
My Grandfather's War: Recovering the Art the Nazis Stole
Anne Sinclair
October 5, 2014
Salem personally selected 40 percent of the securities from the Goldman inventory.
Too Big to Jail: Confessions of a Goldman Sachs Brat
Michael Daly
June 26, 2014
An inventory will reportedly get underway here in the near future.
The Charleston Water Saga
Michael Tomasky
January 14, 2014

Historical Examples of inventory

Come, Johnson, he said, we will take an inventory of all we have left.
The Field of Ice
Jules Verne
Now that the inventory was made, the next business was to fetch the sledge.
The Field of Ice
Jules Verne
He had gotten thus far in the inventory when a shadow darkened the doorway.
The Woman-Haters
Joseph C. Lincoln
"Let us first make an inventory of the ship," answered Johnson.
The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Hatteras
Jules Verne
The place for this information is under "Inventory Variations" on the sheet.
The Automobile Storage Battery
O. A. Witte

British Dictionary definitions for inventory

inventory

noun

a detailed list of articles, goods, property, etc

(often plural) accounting, mainly US

the amount or value of a firm's current assets that consist of raw materials, work in progress, and finished goods; stock
such assets individually

verb -tories, -torying or -toried

(tr) to enter (items) in an inventory; make a list of

Derived Formsinventoriable, adjectiveinventorial, adjectiveinventorially, adverb

Word Origin for inventory

C16: from Medieval Latin inventōrium; see invent

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for inventory

early 15c., from Old French inventoire "inventory, detailed list of goods, catalogue," from Medieval Latin inventorium (Late Latin inventarium) "list of what is found," from Latin inventus, past participle of invenire "to find" (see invention). The verb is first recorded c.1600, from the noun.

Culture definitions for inventory

inventory

An itemized list of a firm's goods that have not yet been sold.

inventory

noun, plural in·ven·to·ries.

verb (used with object), in·ven·to·ried, in·ven·to·ry·ing.

verb (used without object), in·ven·to·ried, in·ven·to·ry·ing.

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RELATED WORDS

Origin of inventory

Synonyms for inventory

Examples from the Web for inventory

Contemporary Examples of inventory

Historical Examples of inventory

inventory

noun

verb -tories, -torying or -toried

Word Origin for inventory

inventory