investment

[ in-vest-muh nt ]

/ ɪnˈvɛst mənt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR investment ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

a particular instance or mode of investing.

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

something that is invested; sum invested.

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

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.

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

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

investiture with an office, dignity, or right.

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

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

Archaic. a garment or vestment.

Nearby words

investigative new drug, investigator, investing cartilage, investitive, investiture, investment, investment analyst, investment bank, investment bond, investment casting, investment company

Origin of investment

1590–1600 for def 12; 1605–15 for def 1; invest + -ment

Related forms

non·re·in·vest·ment, nouno·ver·in·vest·ment, nounpre·in·vest·ment, nounpro·in·vest·ment, adjective

re·in·vest·ment, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for investment

Cuba, already corrupt, will have to avoid becoming even more so when American investment pours in.
Cuba Is A Kleptocracy, Not Communist|Romina Ruiz-Goiriena|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We knew it would be an expensive endeavor, and we still chose to make the investment.
How Much Money Does a Band Really Make on Tour?|Jack Conte|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Which is bad, because we all have an investment in making college affordable and accessible to everyone.
The Student Loan Crisis That Isn’t About Kids at Harvard|Monica Potts|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Healey may not have won on Tuesday, but the return on his investment was a national standout.
How to Run a Statewide Campaign on $38|Michael Ames|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And the insane cost of keeping so many nonviolent people locked up is an investment in failure.
Here’s a Reform Even the Koch Brothers and George Soros Can Agree On|Tina Brown|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the time of the investment of this place, there was a considerable body of Ohio troops in the neighborhood of Piqua.
Life of Tecumseh, and of His Brother the Prophet|Benjamin Drake
I never gave that investment a thought—in fact, I never considered it an investment, Henry.
Dick Hamilton's Fortune|Howard R. Garis
Rest assured, Lois, if they didnt think me worth it they wouldnt lend it to methey expect big interest on their investment.
The Wayfarers|Mary Stewart Cutting
You must remember that it takes a business head and a great deal of experience to make such an investment pay.
Wyoming, a Story of the Outdoor West|William MacLeod Raine
And, strange as it may seem, the German has peculiar opportunities of investment at the present time.
South America and the War|F. A. Kirkpatrick

British Dictionary definitions for investment

investment

/ (ɪnˈvɛstmənt) /

noun

the act of investing money
the amount invested
an enterprise, asset, etc, in which money is or can be invested

the act of investing effort, resources, etc
the amount invested

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

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

a less common word for investiture (def. 1)

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

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

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

Culture definitions for investment

investment

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