devise

devise
1 of 2
verb
de·;vise di-;v;z
devised; devising
Synonyms of devise
transitive verb

1
a
: to form in the mind by new combinations or applications of ideas or principles : invent
devise a new strategy
b
archaic : conceive, imagine
c
: to plan to obtain or bring about : plot
devise one's death
2
law : to give (real estate) by will (see will entry 2 sense 1)
 compare bequeath
devisable
di-;v;-z;-b;l
 adjective
deviser noun
devise

2 of 2
noun
1
law : the act of giving or disposing of real (see real entry 1 sense 2) property by will (see will entry 2 sense 1)
2
law : a will or clause of a will disposing of real property
3
law : property devised by will


Did you know?
There’s something inventive about devise, a word that stems from Latin dividere, meaning “to divide.” By the time devise was being used in English, its Anglo-French forebear deviser had accumulated an array of senses, including “divide,” “distribute,” “arrange,” “order,” “plan,” “invent,” and “assign by will.” English adopted some of these and added new senses, such as “imagine” and “guess,” that have fallen out of use over time. Today devise is most commonly used as a synonym of invent or plot in situations where the objective is difficult or complicated. Note that devise is often confused with another dividere (and deviser) descendent: device refers to a technique, method, tool, or small machine or gadget. One way to help keep their spellings straight is to remember that ice, usually a noun, is found at the end of the noun device, not the verb devise.

Synonyms
Verb

concoct
invent
construct
Examples of devise in a Sentence
Verb
They have devised a new method for converting sunlight into electricity.
she quickly devised a new scheme when the first one failed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The breath-freshener smell that Marks had devised was a combination of laurel leaves—peculiar to the modern sensibility, but not off-putting—and musk.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
This ignores a fundamental problem of innovation and inventiveness, which is that many of the innovative geniuses who devised transformative inventions failed to profit financially from their own ingenuity while more aggressive, entrepreneurial bystanders claimed credit and profit.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025
The museum needs to hire an executive director, fill eight board seats, create a clear operational structure, devise a business plan, identify revenue targets, devise a capital improvement strategy and install more public programming by the August deadline.
—Sophia Tiedge, jsonline.com, 9 July 2025
Working with residential and commercial clients, Hino Studio devises spaces that feel airy and modern, incorporating tranquil color palettes, lush textures, and natural materials.
—Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 7 July 2025

Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French deviser, diviser, to divide, distinguish, invent, from Vulgar Latin *divisare, frequentative of Latin dividere to divide

First Known Use
Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of devise was in the 13th century