1.
inventor
A person who has created or devised something new, especially a device, method, or idea. Often used in historical, patent, or technical contexts.
電話の発明者。
The inventor of the telephone.
この機械の発明者は誰ですか。
Who is the inventor of this machine?
特許申請書には発明者の名前を記入してください。
Please write the inventor's name on the patent application.
発明者として、彼の名前は歴史に刻まれている。
As its inventor, his name is engraved in history.
The agent noun for 発明 (invention), using the suffix 者 (person). Used in both everyday and legal/technical contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 〜の発明者: the inventor of ~
- 発明者として知られる: to be known as the inventor
- 発明者の権利: the rights of the inventor
- 発明者名: inventor's name (as a form field)
- 共同発明者: joint/co-inventor
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 発明家: inventor — emphasizes someone who habitually invents things as a profession or passion, like an Edison figure
- 考案者: devisor; creator of an idea or method — used for ideas and methods rather than physical inventions
- 開発者: developer — emphasizes developing and refining something (commonly used for software)
- 創始者: founder; originator — the person who first started something (a field, a school of thought, etc.)
USAGE:
発明者 is neutral and often describes a one-time inventor of a specific thing ("the inventor of X"), while 発明家 describes a person's identity or career.