inventrice

Inventrice is the feminine form of the French noun for a person who invents. In French, the corresponding masculine form is inventeur, and inventrice is used to refer to a woman who creates new devices, processes, or ideas. The term derives from the verb inventer and ultimately from Latin invenire, meaning to find or discover. As a noun, inventrice may describe someone who holds patents or otherwise contributes original solutions, whether or not commercial success follows.

Linguistically, inventrice is one of several gendered agent nouns in French. It follows the pattern of forming feminine professions with -rice, as in inventeur/inventrice. The word appears in standard French dictionaries and is used in biographical, historical, and academic writing. In contemporary French, discussions of gender and language sometimes favor gender-inclusive formulations or explicit use of both forms (inventeur et inventrice) to reflect individuals’ identities.

In English-language contexts, the term inventrice is not standard and is rarely used; inventeur is often rendered as inventor for both genders, or the phrase “female inventor” is employed when gender needs to be specified. The form inventress exists but is generally considered archaic or humorous in modern usage.

Notable women associated with inventive work who are frequently cited in discussions of female inventors include Hedy Lamarr, whose work contributed to frequency-hopping communications, and Stephanie Kwolek, who invented Kevlar. Their contributions illustrate the broader historical role of women as inventors across science and technology.