inventory

/ˈɪnvəntri/, /ɪnˈventəri/

/ˈɪnvəntɔri/ noun

Definition

› [C or U] COMMERCE, PRODUCTION the amount of goods a store or business has for sale at a particular time, or their value: About half of the shop's inventory was damaged in the tornado. Analysts say the company's inventory of unsold cars could last two to three months. a big/large/low inventory

› ACCOUNTING, PRODUCTION the amount of goods and materials owned by a company at a particular time, including parts, products being made, and finished products: Businesses are increasing their spending on plants, equipment and inventories. cut/bring down/reduce inventory We are trying to reduce manufacturing cycle time and the associated raw material, work in process, and finished goods inventory levels.

› [C] a detailed list of all the goods and property owned by a person or a business: a complete/extensive/detailed inventorydo/make/take an inventory We need to take a hardware inventory to estimate the hardware upgrade costs.

→ See also beginning inventory, continuous inventory

(Definition of inventory noun from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)