PROPRIETARY

I. noun (plural -taries) Etymology: Middle English propietarie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin propietarius, from Late Latin, adjective Date: 15th century one that possesses, owns, or holds exclusive right to something, something that is used, produced, or marketed under exclusive legal right of the inventor or maker, a business secretly owned by and run as a cover for an intelligence organization, II. adjective see: property Date: 1589 of, relating to, or characteristic of a proprietor , used, made, or marketed by one having the exclusive legal right , privately owned and managed and run as a profit-making organization