invitation

[ in-vi-tey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of inviting. inviting.
2. the written or spoken form with which a person is invited.
3. something offered as a suggestion:

   an invitation to consider a business merger.

4. attraction or incentive; allurement.
5. a provocation:

   The speech was an invitation to rebellion.

adjective

1. invitational.

invitation

/ ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. 1. the act of inviting, such as an offer of entertainment or hospitality
   2. ( as modifier )

      an invitation race

      an invitation dance

2. the act of enticing or attracting; allurement

Other Words From

• prein·vi·tation noun
• rein·vi·tation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of invitation¹

1590–1600; < Latin invītātiōn- (stem of invītātiō ), equivalent to invītāt ( us ) (past participle of invītāre to invite ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

These are not prescriptions, I replied, but invitations to experiment.

From Washington Post

Snow, rather than rainwater, filled the hollows when I saw Yang’s pieces, so I saw no birds taking up the invitation.

From Washington Post

In short, it has been a challenge trying to figure out the system, including how policies compare between state and county, and especially how Montgomery decides who gets a coveted email invitation to make an appointment.

From Washington Post

Residents must register to request an appointment, and strong demand means “wait times between submitting a request form and receiving an invitation to schedule could be significant,” officials said.

From Washington Post

Unlike sites such as Facebook, Telegram is a messaging app where users can create large, invitation-only and encrypted chat groups, and it allows users to remain anonymous by hiding their phone numbers from one another.

From ProPublica

You were there at my invitation to discuss issues with your constituents.

From The Daily Beast

Letting humans use their common sense is not an invitation to anarchy.

From The Daily Beast

And I was lucky enough to receive an invitation to stay at Easter Elchies House, the spiritual home at The Macallan.

From The Daily Beast

Admission is free, but by invitation only, and advance RSVP is required.

From The Daily Beast

“Lyova, you know I have a funny feeling about this invitation,” he told Levon Atovmyan, a close friend and fellow composer.

From The Daily Beast

Twice a year the formal invitation was sent out by the old nobleman to his only son, and to his two nephews.

From Project Gutenberg

To the invitation to precede him she readily responded, and, with a bow to the Seneschal, she began to walk across the apartment.

From Project Gutenberg

It was considerably to Justice Haggard's astonishment that he heard of the invitation to his son and his son's wife.

From Project Gutenberg

Aristide glowingly accepted the invitation and cast a look of triumph around the café.

From Project Gutenberg

A heavy rain had fallen in the afternoon, and he lingered in her company at her invitation and encouragement.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• appeal
• bid
• challenge
• date
• encouragement
• overture
• petition
• proposition
• request
• solicitation
• suggestion
• summons