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invite

[verb in-vahyt; noun in-vahyt]
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verb (used with object), in·vit·ed, in·vit·ing.
  1. to request the presence or participation of in a kindly, courteous, or complimentary way, especially to request to come or go to some place, gathering, entertainment, etc., or to do something: to invite friends to dinner.
  2. to request politely or formally: to invite donations.
  3. to act so as to bring on or render probable: to invite accidents by fast driving.
  4. to call forth or give occasion for: Those big shoes invite laughter.
  5. to attract, allure, entice, or tempt.
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verb (used without object), in·vit·ed, in·vit·ing.
  1. to give invitation; offer attractions or allurements.
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noun
  1. Informal. an invitation.
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Origin of invite

First recorded in 1525–35, invite is from the Latin word invītāre
Related formsin·vi·tee [in-vi-tee, -vahy-] /ˌɪn vɪˈti, -vaɪ-/, nounin·vit·er, in·vi·tor, nounpre·in·vite, verb (used with object), pre·in·vit·ed, pre·in·vit·ing.qua·si-in·vit·ed, adjectivere·in·vite, verb, re·in·vit·ed, re·in·vit·ing.self-in·vit·ed, adjectiveun·in·vit·ed, adjective

Synonyms

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1. bid. 2. solicit. 5. lure, draw.

Synonym study

1. See call.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

company, caller, foreigner, guest, transient, visitant, inspector, invitee, out-of-towner

Examples from the Web for invitees

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • I knew a lot of them -- some were my invitees -- and the others were friends of my pals or my pals' pals.

    Little Brother

    Cory Doctorow

British Dictionary definitions for invitees

invite

verb (ɪnˈvaɪt) (tr)
  1. to ask (a person or persons) in a friendly or polite way (to do something, attend an event, etc)he invited them to dinner
  2. to make a request for, esp publicly or formallyto invite applications
  3. to bring on or provoke; give occasion foryou invite disaster by your actions
  4. to welcome or tempt
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noun (ˈɪnvaɪt)
  1. an informal word for invitation
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Derived Formsinviter, noun

Word Origin

C16: from Latin invītāre to invite, entertain, from in- ² + -vītāre, probably related to Greek hiesthai to be desirous of
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

Word Origin and History for invitees

invite

v.

1530s, a back-formation from invitation, or else from Middle French inviter (5c.), from Latin invitare. As a noun variant of invitation it is attested from 1650s. Related: Invited; inviting.

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invite

n.

1650s, from invite (v.).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper