inventory

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

/ ˈɪn vənˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

SEE 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.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!

Question 1 of 10

Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.

Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

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Origin of inventory

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

SYNONYMS FOR inventory

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

SEE SYNONYMS FOR inventory ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM inventory

in·ven·to·ri·a·ble, adjectivein·ven·to·ri·al, adjectivein·ven·to·ri·al·ly, adverbo·ver·in·ven·to·ried, adjective

pre·in·ven·to·ry, noun, plural pre·in·ven·to·ries.

Words nearby inventory

invent, invent the wheel, invention, inventive, inventor, inventory, inver grove heights, inveracity, inveraray, invercargill, inverclyde

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for 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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST

An inventory will reportedly get underway here in the near future.
The Charleston Water Saga|Michael Tomasky|January 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lucy said that she would go up into the dining-room, and take an inventory of the furniture.
Tales And Novels, Volume 2 (of 10)|Maria Edgeworth
Hamilton's keen, quick, satisfied glance at his wife had recalled to Imogen all her inventory of speculations about them.
The Troll Garden and Selected Stories|Willa Cather
He proceeded to take an interested, if hasty, inventory of her charms.
Langford of the Three Bars|Kate Boyles
For two or three days, Mr Campbell was very busy making out an inventory of the articles which he required.
The Settlers in Canada|Frederick Marryat
The inventory of his goods attached to his will had been taken by Shakespeare's father on 21st August in that year.
A Chronicle History of the Life and Work of William Shakespeare|Frederick Gard Fleay

British Dictionary definitions for inventory

inventory

/ (ˈɪnvəntərɪ, -trɪ) /

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 forms of inventory

inventoriable, 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

Cultural 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.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Origin of inventory

SYNONYMS FOR inventory

OTHER WORDS FROM inventory

Words nearby inventory

Words related to inventory

Example sentences from the Web for inventory

British Dictionary definitions for inventory

noun

verb -tories, -torying or -toried

Derived forms of inventory

Word Origin for inventory

Cultural definitions for inventory