PATENT


Meaning of PATENT in English

I. 1-3 are ˈpa-t ə nt, chiefly Brit ˈpā-; 4 ˈpā-; 5 ˈpā-, ˈpa-; 6-7 ˈpa-, ˈpā-, Britain usually ˈpā- adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin patent-, patens, from present participle of patēre to be open — more at fathom

Date: 14th century

1.

a. : open to public inspection — used chiefly in the phrase letters patent

b.

(1) : secured by letters patent or by a patent to the exclusive control and possession of a particular individual or party

(2) : protected by a patent : made under a patent

patent locks

c. : protected by a trademark or a brand name so as to establish proprietary rights analogous to those conveyed by letters patent or a patent : proprietary

patent drugs

2. : of, relating to, or concerned with the granting of patents especially for inventions

a patent lawyer

3. : making exclusive or proprietary claims or pretensions

4. : affording free passage : unobstructed

a patent opening

5. : patulous , spreading

a patent calyx

6. archaic : accessible , exposed

7. : readily visible or intelligible : obvious

Synonyms: see evident

• pat·ent·ly adverb

II. ˈpa-t ə nt, Britain also ˈpā- noun

Date: 14th century

1. : an official document conferring a right or privilege : letters patent

2.

a. : a writing securing for a term of years the exclusive right to make, use, or sell an invention

b. : the monopoly or right so granted

c. : a patented invention

3. : privilege , license

4. : an instrument making a conveyance of public lands ; also : the land so conveyed

5. : patent leather

III. same as 2 transitive verb

Date: 1675

1. : to obtain or grant a patent right to

2. : to grant a privilege, right, or license to by patent

3. : to obtain or secure by patent ; especially : to secure by letters patent exclusive right to make, use, or sell

• pat·ent·abil·i·ty ˌpa-t ə n-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē, Britain also ˌpā- noun

• pat·ent·able ˈpa-t ə n-tə-bəl, Britain also ˈpā- adjective

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.