invitation

noun

in·​vi·​ta·​tion ˌin-və-ˈtā-shən 

1

a

: the act of inviting

b

: an often formal request to be present or participate

2

: incentive, inducement

Examples of invitation in a Sentence

We sent out more than 100 invitations for the party.

Recent Examples on the Web

So by the time the phone rang earlier this month with an invitation to a weeklong training camp in Florida, Anderson had stopped waiting. —Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025

And when Jasmine playfully extended yet another invitation to the party, Florian snapped at her once again. —Abigail Adams, People.com, 21 Jan. 2025

Several prominent Democrats, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, declined their invitations to attend the luncheon. —Chantelle Lee, TIME, 20 Jan. 2025

In 2016, Lammy accepted an invitation from Cameron to lead a government review of racial bias in the British criminal-justice system. —Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing invitation

• at the invitation of
• by invitation only
• standing/open invitation

Kids Definition

invitation

noun

in·​vi·​ta·​tion ˌin-və-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act of inviting

2

: the written, printed, or spoken expression by which a person is invited

invitational

-shnəl

-shən-ᵊl

adjective