inventory

American  

[in-vuhn-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / ˈɪn vənˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

noun

plural

inventories

1. a complete listing of merchandise or stock on hand, work in progress, raw materials, finished goods on hand, etc., made each year by a business concern.

2. the objects or items represented on such a list, as a merchant's stock of goods.

3. the aggregate value of a stock of goods.

4. raw material from the time of its receipt at an industrial plant for manufacturing purposes to the time it is sold.

5. a detailed, often descriptive, list of articles, giving the code number, quantity, and value of each; catalog.

   Synonyms:

   account, register, record, roster

6. a formal list of movables, as of a merchant's stock of goods.

7. a formal list of the property of a person or estate.

8. a tally of one's personality traits, aptitudes, skills, etc., for use in counseling and guidance.

9. a catalog of natural resources, especially a count or estimate of wildlife and game in a particular area.

10. the act of making a catalog or detailed listing.

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verb (used with object)

inventoried, inventorying

1. to make an inventory of; enter in an inventory; catalog.

2. to take stock of; evaluate.

   to inventory one's life and accomplishments.

3. to summarize.

   to inventory the progress in chemistry.

4. to keep an available supply of (merchandise); stock.

verb (used without object)

inventoried, inventorying

1. to have value as shown by an inventory.

   stock that inventories at two million dollars.

inventory British  

/ -trɪ, ˈɪnvəntərɪ /

noun

1. a detailed list of articles, goods, property, etc

2. (often plural) accounting

   1. the amount or value of a firm's current assets that consist of raw materials, work in progress, and finished goods; stock

   2. such assets individually

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verb

1. (tr) to enter (items) in an inventory; make a list of

inventory Cultural  

1. An itemized list of a firm's goods that have not yet been sold.

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Usage

What does inventory mean? An inventory is a complete list of all merchandise or stock of items owned by or available from a business.At a store, an inventory is the complete list of all items for sale at the store. At a manufacturer, an inventory is a complete list of all the raw materials they have, as well as finished items and items being created.An inventory is also the specific set of products to sell, as in The store’s inventory of superhero capes is running low and will probably sell out soon.An inventory can also refer to figurative belongings, such as a person’s personality traits and skills.To inventory means to add things to an inventory list, whether a literal or figurative list, as in I inventoried my options for colleges and chose the school I’ll attend next year.Example: Can you take inventory tonight so we can be ready for the rush tomorrow?

Related Words

See list ¹.

Other Word Forms

• inventoriable adjective
• inventorial adjective
• inventorially adverb
• overinventoried adjective
• preinventory noun

Etymology

Origin of inventory

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English inventorie, from Medieval Latin inventōrium; invent, -tory ²

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, the company is trying to reduce the inventory that it already has there.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The doll, one of the most popular toys in Mattel’s inventory, has struggled to garner sales, despite gaining momentum in 2023, when the “Barbie” movie had widespread success.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

With just 24 homes planned, the project underscores a broader shift toward smaller, more exclusive coastal communities where new inventory remains scarce.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Samsung will not restock its Galaxy Z TriFold smartphone globally after current inventory sells out, with no second-generation confirmed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

I nod, then bring up my inventory to show them what I have.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Related Words

• backlog
• fund
• index
• reserve
• stockpile
• supply