Investment
/ɪnˈvestmənt/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe action or process of investing money for profit or material result.
/ɪnˈvestmənt/
The act of putting money into something to gain profit
Real estate can be a solid investment for the future.
💡 Simply: Imagine you give a friend money to buy and sell lemonade stands. That's an investment! You give money with the hope of getting more back later.
👶 For kids: Putting money into something to try to make more money later.
More Examples
The initial investment yielded a substantial return.
Investing in education is an investment in future success.
How It's Used
"A significant investment in the stock market."
"The company made a large investment in research and development."
The time, effort, or resources put into something to achieve a positive result.
/ɪnˈvestmənt/
Something that is worth putting time or effort into
The investment in his children's upbringing was evident in their success.
💡 Simply: Think of it like watering a plant. If you put in the time (investment) to water it, it will grow bigger and stronger.
👶 For kids: Putting your time or energy into something to make it better.
More Examples
She viewed her volunteer work as an investment in the community.
He saw learning a new language as a worthwhile investment.
How It's Used
"Her education was a long-term investment in herself."
"Building a strong relationship requires an investment of time and effort."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
Return on Investment (ROI)
A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or to compare the efficiency of a number of different investments. ROI tries to directly measure the amount of return on a particular investment, relative to the investment's cost.
"The company calculated the ROI for their marketing campaign."
hedge against investment
Actions taken to reduce financial risk and protect investments from potential losses, often caused by market volatility or adverse economic conditions.
"Investors may use diversification to hedge against investment risks."
From Middle English *inuestement*, from Old French *investement* 'act of investing', from Latin *investire* 'to clothe, to invest'.
Historically, the term was primarily used in financial contexts, but now it's also applied to other contexts, like education and relationships. The usage has broadened as societies have evolved.
Memory tip
Think of putting your money *in* something to see its value rise over *time*.
Word Origin
"to clothe, to invest"