investment

American  

[in-vest-muhnt] / ɪnˈvɛst mənt /

noun

1. the investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.

2. a particular instance or mode of investing.

3. a thing invested in, as a business, a quantity of shares of stock, etc.

4. something that is invested; sum invested.

5. the act or fact of investing or state of being invested, as with a garment.

6. a devoting, using, or giving of time, talent, emotional energy, etc., as for a purpose or to achieve something.

   His investment in the project included more time than he cared to remember.

7. Biology. any covering, coating, outer layer, or integument, as of an animal or vegetable.

8. the act of investing with a quality, attribute, etc.

9. investiture with an office, dignity, or right.

10. a siege or blockade; the surrounding of a place with military forces or works, as in besieging.

11. Also called investment compound.  Metallurgy. a refractory material applied in a plastic state to a pattern to make a mold.

12. Archaic. a garment or vestment.

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investment British  

/ ɪnˈvɛstmənt /

noun

1. 1. the act of investing money

   2. the amount invested

   3. an enterprise, asset, etc, in which money is or can be invested

2. 1. the act of investing effort, resources, etc

   2. the amount invested

3. economics the amount by which the stock of capital (plant, machinery, materials, etc) in an enterprise or economy changes

4. biology the outer layer or covering of an organ, part, or organism

5. a less common word for investiture

6. the act of investing or state of being invested, as with an official robe, a specific quality, etc

7. rare the act of besieging with military forces, works, etc

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investment Cultural  

1. The purchase of property with the expectation that its value will increase over time.

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Other Word Forms

• nonreinvestment noun
• overinvestment noun
• preinvestment noun
• proinvestment adjective
• reinvestment noun

Etymology

Origin of investment

First recorded in 1590–1600 investment for def. 12; 1605–15 investment for def. 1; invest + -ment

Example Sentences

Global venture capital investment hit a record in the first quarter of this year, according to Crunchbase data, pulling in a new generation of founders eager to raise capital before interest wanes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

In central Abuja, wide boulevards, embassies and high-rise apartments signal heavy state investment.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

To raise the prices even higher at the gas station, he’d have to buy new pumps, an investment he’s not sure he could afford now.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Venture capital investment in the first quarter hit a $300 billion record, according to VC research firm Crunchbase, some 80% going to AI companies.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

We were asking for an investment of their faith, and now we had to deliver on what they'd brought us, carrying that enthusiasm through twenty months and fifty states and right into the White House.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

• asset
• contribution
• expenditure
• expense
• finance
• financing
• grant
• loan
• money
• property
• purchase
• stake
• transaction
• venture