inventory
UK: ˈɪnvənt(ə)ri | US: ˈɪnvənˌtɔːri
n. a complete list of items such as property, goods in stock, or the contents of a building
n. the process of making such a list
vt. to make a list of items; to catalog
The word "inventory" traces back to the Latin inventorium, derived from invenire (to find or discover). The morpheme invent reflects the act of "finding" items to list, while -ory (from Latin -orium) signifies a place or collection. Originally used in medieval Latin for a list of discovered items, the term evolved into Middle English as "inventorie," emphasizing systematic cataloging. The modern sense retains this logic—a structured discovery and recording of items.
The store manager checked the inventory to restock shelves.
She spent the afternoon inventorying the museum's artifacts.
A yearly inventory is required for tax purposes.
The software automates inventory tracking for small businesses.
His job involves updating the digital inventory database.