investiture

American  

[in-ves-ti-cher, -choor] / ɪnˈvɛs tɪ tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər /

noun

1. the act or process of investing.

2. the formal bestowal, confirmation, or presentation of rank, office, or a possessory or prescriptive right, usually involving the giving of insignia or an official title.

3. the state of being invested, as with a garment, quality, or office.

4. something that covers or adorns.

5. Archaic. something that invests.

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investiture British  

/ ɪnˈvɛstɪtʃə /

noun

1. the act of presenting with a title or with the robes and insignia of an office or rank

2. (in feudal society) the formal bestowal of the possessory right to a fief or other benefice

3. a less common word for investment

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• investitive
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of investiture

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin investītūra, equivalent to investīt(us) (past participle of investīre “to install”; see invest) + -ūra -ure

Explanation

Investiture is what happens when a government official, a judge, or a head of state is formally put into office or promoted to a higher rank. The investiture of a king or queen involves an elaborate, lengthy ceremony. The noun investiture is good for describing the process of naming a judge or a church bishop, for example, to office. Investitures tend to include ritual ceremony and the symbolic transfer of a position from one person to the next. In the U.S., Supreme Court justices are invested with the position — which literally means "clothed in the official robes of office." Both words stem from the Latin investire, "clothe in" or "cover."

Example Sentences

The house, with more than 100 rooms, was once owned by Lord Newborough and in 1969 hosted the ball of the investiture for the Prince of Wales, now King Charles.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

He had attended the investiture ceremony of his first Supreme Court justice nominee, Neil Gorsuch, in 2017, months into Trump's first term.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

"They must have thought me very eccentric in the hospital, because I sat there quoting Shakespeare monologues," he said after his investiture ceremony.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

The show's co-host was recognised in the King's Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting and received the honour at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.

From BBC • Nov. 12, 2025

The investiture and subsequent celebrations went on for almost a month, after which the young eighty-second Lord of Stormhold got on with the business of ruling.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman