personality inventory: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Specialised)Technical/Academic/Professional
Quick answer
What does “personality inventory” mean?
A questionnaire or test designed to assess an individual's personality traits, characteristics, and patterns of behaviour.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A questionnaire or test designed to assess an individual's personality traits, characteristics, and patterns of behaviour.
A systematic, often standardised, psychological assessment tool used in clinical, counselling, occupational, and research settings to measure various dimensions of personality, such as introversion/extroversion, emotional stability, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. In the US, 'personality test' is a more common general term in non-technical contexts.
Connotations
Both varieties use it with the same technical meaning. Slightly more clinical/academic connotation compared to 'personality test'.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, confined to professional contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “personality inventory” in a Sentence
The psychologist used [a personality inventory] to assess the client.Candidates were asked to complete [a personality inventory].The study employed the [X Personality Inventory].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “personality inventory” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The career service will inventory the personalities of all new graduates.
- We need to personality-inventory the applicants.
American English
- The consultant inventoried the team's personalities.
- The process involves personality-inventorying candidates.
adverb
British English
- He was assessed personality-inventory-wise.
American English
- They evaluated the team personality-inventory-style.
adjective
British English
- The personality-inventory data was revealing.
- We offer personality inventory services.
American English
- The personality-inventory results are confidential.
- She took a personality-inventory assessment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in recruitment and team-building to assess candidate fit or employee strengths.
Academic
Common in psychology research and teaching as a methodological tool for measuring personality constructs.
Everyday
Rarely used; 'personality test' is the common term (e.g., online quizzes).
Technical
Standard term in clinical psychology, counselling, and organisational psychology for validated assessment instruments.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “personality inventory”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “personality inventory”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “personality inventory”
- Misspelling as 'personnality inventory' or 'inventary'.
- Using it as a plural ('personality inventories') when referring to a single test for one person is awkward.
- Confusing it with 'skills inventory' or 'interest inventory'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In technical usage, a 'personality inventory' is a specific type of structured, often self-report, personality test. In everyday language, the terms are often used interchangeably, but 'inventory' suggests a more systematic, multi-trait assessment.
It would sound very formal or technical. In casual talk, people say 'personality test' or even just 'that quiz' (e.g., 'I did a fun personality quiz online').
Well-known examples include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI), and the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF).
Countable. You can have 'a personality inventory' or 'several personality inventories'. However, when referring to the concept as a method, it can be used uncountably (e.g., 'the use of personality inventory in selection').
A questionnaire or test designed to assess an individual's personality traits, characteristics, and patterns of behaviour.
Personality inventory is usually technical/academic/professional in register.
Personality inventory: in British English it is pronounced /ˌpɜː.sənˈæl.ə.ti ˈɪn.vən.tri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌpɝː.sənˈæl.ə.t̬i ˈɪn.vən.tɔːr.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms for this specific term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a store taking an INVENTORY of all its stock. A personality inventory takes stock of all your personality TRAITS.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSONALITY IS A MEASURABLE OBJECT (that can be catalogued/inventoried).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'personality inventory' MOST precisely and correctly used?