invitation
pronunciation
How to pronounce invitation in British English:
UK [ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn]
How to pronounce invitation in American English:
US [ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn]
-
- Noun:
- a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
- a tempting allurement
Word Origin
- invitation (n.)
- mid-15c., from Latin invitationem (nominative invitatio) "an invitation, incitement, challenge," noun of action from past participle stem of invitare "invite, treat, entertain," originally "be pleasant toward," from in- "toward" (see in- (2)). Second element is obscure; Watkins suggests a suffixed form of root *weie- "to go after something, pursue with vigor," and a connection to English gain (see venison). Meaning "the spoken or written form in which a person is invited" is from 1610s.
Example
- 1. Doesn 't the invitation make that perfectly clear ?
- 2. The email invitation had a few subtle hints .
- 3. This is an invitation to retaliation .
- 4. I didn 't know if the invitation to be on his show was a trap .
- 5. A spokesman for the footballer declined to confirm the invitation , but sources said the couple had received one .