n.
Pronunciation: pr ə - ' pr ī - ə - ˌ ter- ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -tar · ies
Etymology: Middle English propietarie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin propietarius, from Late Latin, adjective
Date: 15th century
1 : one that possesses, owns, or holds exclusive right to something specifically : PROPRIETOR 1
2 : something that is used, produced, or marketed under exclusive legal right of the inventor or maker specifically : a drug (as a patent medicine) that is protected by secrecy, patent, or copyright against free competition as to name, product, composition, or process of manufacture
3 : a business secretly owned by and run as a cover for an intelligence organization