Meanings
comparative more inventive · superlative most inventive
- Of, or relating to invention; pertaining to the act of devising new mechanisms or processes.
an inventive pursuit
1 more example
At the other end, Dortmund were producing some typically inventive approach play but struggled to find a way through the visitors' defence, and were unable to find a finish when they did.
2013 November 6, Chris Bevan, “Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport
Synonyms & antonyms
adjective(used of persons or artifacts) marked by independence and creativity in thought or action
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Medieval Latininventivus
- Old Frenchinventif
- Middle Englishinventif
- Englishinventive
From Middle English inventif, inventyfe, borrowed from Old French inventif, borrowed from Medieval Latin inventivus. By surface analysis, invent + -ive.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek εὑρετικός
- εὑρετικός (heuretikós)creative, or skilful at inventing
Bulgarian изобрета́телен, нахо́дчив
- изобрета́телен (izobretátelen)creative, or skilful at inventing
- нахо́дчив (nahódčiv)creative, or skilful at inventing
Catalan inventiu, enginyós
- inventiuof, or relating to invention
- enginyóscreative, or skilful at inventing
- inventiucreative, or skilful at inventing
Czech vynalézavý
- vynalézavýcreative, or skilful at inventing
Dutch vindingrijk
- vindingrijkcreative, or skilful at inventing
Finnish kekseliäs, luova
- kekseliäscreative, or skilful at inventing
- luovacreative, or skilful at inventing
French inventif, inventif
- inventifof, or relating to invention
- inventifcreative, or skilful at inventing
German Erfindungs-, erfinderisch
- Erfindungs-of, or relating to invention
- erfinderischcreative, or skilful at inventing
Greek εφευρετικός
- εφευρετικός (efevretikós)creative, or skilful at inventing
Hungarian inventív, invenciózus
- inventívcreative, or skilful at inventing
- invenciózuscreative, or skilful at inventing
- leleményescreative, or skilful at inventing
- ötletescreative, or skilful at inventing
- ötletgazdagcreative, or skilful at inventing
- találékonycreative, or skilful at inventing
Irish airgtheach
- airgtheachcreative, or skilful at inventing
Italian inventivo, inventivo
- inventivoof, or relating to invention
- inventivocreative, or skilful at inventing
Polish wynalazczy, pomysłowy
- wynalazczycreative, or skilful at inventing
- pomysłowycreative, or skilful at inventing
Portuguese inventivo, inventivo
- inventivoof, or relating to invention
- inventivocreative, or skilful at inventing
- engenhosocreative, or skilful at inventing
Romanian de invenție, invențial
- de invențieof, or relating to invention
- invențialof, or relating to invention
- inventivcreative, or skilful at inventing
Russian изобрета́тельный, нахо́дчивый
- изобрета́тельный (izobretátelʹnyj)creative, or skilful at inventing
- нахо́дчивый (naxódčivyj)creative, or skilful at inventing
Spanish inventivo
- inventivocreative, or skilful at inventing
Swedish uppfinningsrik
- uppfinningsrikcreative, or skilful at inventing
Ukrainian винахі́дливий, вига́дливий
- винахі́дливий (vynaxídlyvyj)creative, or skilful at inventing
- вига́дливий (vyhádlyvyj)creative, or skilful at inventing
Welsh dyfeisgar
- dyfeisgarcreative, or skilful at inventing
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with inventive
All rhymes →Cite this entry
inventive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inventive
“inventive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inventive. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inventive,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inventive.
Source: inventive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.