# inventory

/ˌɪnvənˈtɔɹi/ (US) · /ˈɪnvəntɹˌi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inventory
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. list of items

noun · CEFR B2

a detailed list of all the things in a specific place, like a shop or a house.

For teachers: a complete and detailed list of all the articles, goods, or property in a particular place or belonging to a person or entity.

- The landlord took an inventory of the furniture before the new tenants moved in.
- The museum maintains a digital inventory of every artifact in its collection to ensure that nothing is misplaced during renovations.

Usage: Often used with the verb 'take' or 'make'.

### 2. stock on hand

noun · CEFR B2

the actual goods or materials that a business has available to sell.

For teachers: the physical stock of goods, materials, or assets held by a business at a specific time.

- The shop has a large inventory of winter coats because of the cold weather.
- Efficient supply chain management requires keeping enough inventory to meet demand without incurring excessive storage costs.

### 3. linguistic set

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

the full set of sounds or words that exist in a specific language.

For teachers: the total set of a specified linguistic feature, such as phonemes or morphemes, within a particular language or dialect.

- English has a larger inventory of vowel sounds than many other languages.
- The researcher analyzed the phonological inventory of the dialect to determine how it differed from the standard variety.

Teaching tip: In linguistics, this refers to the 'menu' of options a language has available.

### 4. video game storage

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

the screen in a video game where you can see and manage the items your character is carrying.

For teachers: a user interface element in video games that displays the items currently held or equipped by the player character.

- I need to drop some rocks because my inventory is full and I can't carry more gold.
- The game's inventory management system was criticized for being too small, forcing players to constantly discard useful items.

### 5. to count and list

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make a list of all the items you have in a place.

For teachers: to perform a systematic count and recording of items or resources on hand.

- The staff will inventory the warehouse supplies over the weekend.
- It is standard procedure to inventory the laboratory equipment at the end of each fiscal year to account for any losses.

Usage: This is a transitive verb that requires a direct object.

## Examples

- The shop closes early today to take a full inventory.
- The manager noticed that the physical inventory did not match the numbers recorded in the digital database.
- Maintaining an accurate inventory is essential for supply chain efficiency, as it prevents both the accumulation of dead stock and the frustration of unexpected shortages.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.