invert

American  

[in-vurt, in-vurt] / ɪnˈvɜrt, ˈɪn vɜrt /

verb (used with object)

inverts, present (3rd person singular) inverted, past participle, past inverting present participle

1. to turn upside down.

2. to reverse in position, order, direction, or relationship.

3. to turn or change to the opposite or contrary, as in nature, bearing, or effect.

   to invert a process.

4. to turn inward or back upon itself.

5. to turn inside out.

6. Chemistry. to subject to a reaction in which a starting material of one optical configuration forms a product of the opposite configuration.

7. Music. to subject to musical inversion, the transposition between the upper voice part and the lower.

8. Phonetics. to articulate as a retroflex vowel.

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verb (used without object)

inverts, present (3rd person singular) inverted, past participle, past inverting present participle

1. Chemistry. to undergo a reaction in which a starting material of one optical configuration forms a product of the opposite configuration.

adjective

1. Chemistry. subjected to a reaction in which a starting material of one optical configuration forms a product of the opposite configuration.

noun

1. a person or thing that is reversed in position, changed to the contrary, or turned upside down, inside out, or inward.

2. (in plumbing) that portion of the interior of a drain or sewer pipe where the liquid is deepest.

3. a U-shaped arch or vault, having the opposite vertical orientation compared to a traditional arch or vault.

4. Philately. a two-colored postage stamp with all or part of the central design printed upside down in relation to the inscription.

5. Psychiatry. (no longer in technical use)

   1. a gay person.

   2. a person whose behavior is considered nonnormative for their assigned sex, historically involving both gender non-conforming or transgender expression and gay or lesbian sexual orientation.

6. Disparaging and Offensive. anyone whose sexuality or gender expression is regarded as strange or unnatural, especially a gay or transgender person.

7. Informal. (especially among aquarists) invertebrate.

   My invert tank is mostly sea slugs, but I bought a couple of shrimp recently also.

invert British  

verb

1. to turn or cause to turn upside down or inside out

2. (tr) to reverse in effect, sequence, direction, etc

3. (tr) phonetics

   1. to turn (the tip of the tongue) up and back

   2. to pronounce (a speech sound) by retroflexion

4. logic to form the inverse of a categorial proposition

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noun

1. psychiatry

   1. a person who adopts the role of the opposite sex

   2. another word for homosexual

2. architect

   1. the lower inner surface of a drain, sewer, etc Compare soffit

   2. an arch that is concave upwards, esp one used in foundations

Synonym Usage

See reverse.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• invertibility
  noun
• invertible
  adjective
• noninverted
  adjective
• uninverted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• inverting
  present
• inverted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• invert
  simple
• inverts
  simple
• have inverted
  perfect
• has inverted
  perfect
• am inverting
  progressive
• are inverting
  progressive
• is inverting
  progressive
• have been inverting
  perfect progressive
• has been inverting
  perfect progressive

Past

• inverted
  simple
• had inverted
  perfect
• was inverting
  progressive
• were inverting
  progressive
• had been inverting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will invert
  simple
• will have inverted
  perfect
• will be inverting
  progressive
• will have been inverting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of invert

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin invertere “to turn upside down or inside out,” equivalent to in- “in” + vertere “to turn”; see in- ², verse

Explanation

When you invert something, you turn it upside down, whether it’s an idea or a test you place face-down on your desk when you are finished. Invert comes from the Latin word invertere, which means "to turn." For example, you might invert a cake pan, turning it upside down on a plate in order to remove the cake. Or if you have a long-standing belief, say, that cats make bad pets, spending time with a really great cat may make you turn that belief upside down, inverting it. And you might even get a cat of your own!

Example Sentences

Invert the cake onto the rack, lift off the pan and turn the loaf upright.

From Washington Times • Apr. 3, 2023

Invert the coconut over a bowl or measuring cup to drain the liquid, aka coconut water.

From Salon • May 16, 2022

Invert a serving plate over the cheesecake and then flip the whole thing so the crust is back on the bottom.

From Washington Post • Mar. 16, 2022

Invert the layers onto wire racks; remove parchment paper, and let cool completely before starting the caramel frosting.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 28, 2021

Invert the glass plate over the jar and press down firmly into the cement.

From The Elements of Bacteriological Technique A Laboratory Guide for Medical, Dental, and Technical Students. Second Edition Rewritten and Enlarged. by Eyre, J. W. H. (John William Henry)