invitation
Americannoun
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the act of inviting, such as an offer of entertainment or hospitality
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( as modifier )
an invitation dance
an invitation race
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the act of enticing or attracting; allurement
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of invitation
1590–1600; < Latin invītātiōn- (stem of invītātiō ), equivalent to invītāt ( us ) (past participle of invītāre to invite ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
An invitation is a request, a solicitation, or an attempt to get another person to join you at a specific event. You need an invitation to go to the Academy Awards, even if you're George Clooney. When you ask people to attend a party, visit your beach house, or witness your marriage, you invite them — using the verb — and you've given them an invitation. An invitation can be delivered as a verbal request, a beautifully engraved card, or even puffs of smoke behind an airplane. If you give invitations to two hundred of your closest friends to attend your Mardi Gras party, you’d better make a lot of jambalaya.
Vocabulary lists containing invitation
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 7
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"Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates"
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"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll, Chapters 4–6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Like I’ve always said, my company line, my personal line is I hope that we get this invitation every year,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the visit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Emmanuel’s invitation to our defenders is a sign of respect and recognition of the strength of Ukraine, our people, and our armed forces,” Zelensky said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
It should also be an invitation to reflect honestly on who we have been and who we aspire to become.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
"There was an open invitation to get up onto the stage and dance while the DJ was on, so I did."
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
If we do not receive your acceptance by October 14, 1957, we will assume that you are declining this invitation.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Some Americans who are getting married have even joked on Reddit that they may purchase 500 stamps before the price increase to cut down the cost of mailing out save-the-dates, wedding invitations and thank-you cards.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
Reports surrounding the event have highlighted VIP invitations, exclusive access opportunities and ticket packages costing thousands of dollars.
From Salon ● Jun. 14, 2026
The raids also affected small businesses orbiting around quinceañeras: makers of embossed invitations, sellers of tiaras and crowns, choreographers, caterers, florists and more.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
He declined most debate and public forum invitations.
From BBC ● May 20, 2026
While she shopped for the invitations, Grandpa and I went to Wal-Mart to pick up Grandma's prescription, and that is when we saw the red wagon special.
From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
