invenire

Invenire is a Latin verb of the fourth conjugation meaning “to come upon, to find, to discover,” and it can denote finding something by search or learning something new. It is transitive and takes direct objects. The principal parts are invenio, invenire, inveni, inventum. In the present active indicative the forms are invenio, invenis, invenit, invenimus, invenitis, inveniunt.

Etymology and meaning development: the word is formed from the prefix in- (“upon”) + venire (“to come”). The sense shifted from “to come upon” an object to “to discover” or “to find.” From invenire, English derives verbs such as invent (via Old French inventer) and nouns such as invention and inventory (the latter from inventarium, a list or collection).

Usage in Latin and examples: in classical Latin, invenire appears in contexts of discovering or obtaining something, often with a direct object. For example, Inveni librum quem quaerebam means “I found the book which I was seeking.” The perfect form inveni yields “I found,” while inventum or inventus can appear as a supine or participial form related to discovery.

Derivatives and linguistic impact: the term underpins English words including invent, invention, and inventory, reflecting the core sense of finding or creating something through discovery. Invenire’s semantic range—finding, discovering, learning—also informs related Latin nouns such as inventio (discovery or invention) and inventarium (inventory).

See also: invention, inventory, inventor, etymology of English words derived from Latin invenire.