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 Englishinventorie < Medieval Latininventōrium; 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,pluralpre·in·ven·to·ries.
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.
