invitation */*/

UK [ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "invitation":
singular invitation plural invitations

1) a written or spoken request asking someone to spend time with you socially or to come to a social event

The wedding invitations went out yesterday.

invitation to:

Nobody in the office had received an invitation to the party.

2) a request to someone to do something or go somewhere

invitation to do something:

She has received an invitation to join a new environmental policy body.

decline/refuse an invitation:

The senator declined our invitation to comment on the allegations.

standing/long-standing/open invitation (= with no fixed date):

The former president has accepted a long-standing invitation to address the conference.

3) invitation or open invitation an action or event that makes something unpleasant more likely to happen

invitation to:

He described the low wages paid to police officers as almost an invitation to corruption.

an (open) invitation to do something:

The banks will take the minister's comments as an open invitation to charge their customers higher rates.

•

at someone's invitation/at the invitation of someone — if you do something at someone's invitation, you do it when they ask or invite you

They came to Washington at the invitation of the president.

by invitation (only) — available only to people who have been formally invited

a club with membership by invitation only

- without invitation