— patentable , adj. — patentability , n. — patentably , adv. — patently , adv.
/pat"nt/ or, for 10, 12-15, /payt"-/ ; esp. Brit. /payt"nt/ , n.
1. the exclusive right granted by a government to an inventor to manufacture, use, or sell an invention for a certain number of years.
2. an invention or process protected by this right.
3. an official document conferring such a right; letters patent.
4. the instrument by which the government of the United States conveys the legal fee-simple title to public land.
5. patent leather.
adj. patent for 10, 12-15.
6. protected by a patent; patented: a patent cooling device.
7. pertaining to, concerned with, or dealing with patents, esp. on inventions: a patent attorney; patent law.
8. conferred by a patent, as a right or privilege.
9. holding a patent, as a person.
10. readily open to notice or observation; evident; obvious: a patent breach of good manners.
11. made of patent leather: patent shoes.
12. lying open; not enclosed or shut in: a patent field.
13. Chiefly Bot. expanded or spreading.
14. open, as a doorway or a passage.
15. Phonet. open, in various degrees, to the passage of the breath stream.
v.t.
16. to take out a patent on; obtain the exclusive rights to (an invention, process, etc.) by a patent.
17. to originate and establish as one's own.
18. Metall. to heat and quench (wire) so as to prepare for cold-drawing.
19. to grant (public land) by a patent.
[ 1250-1300; (adj.) ME patent- (s. of patens ) open, orig. prp. of patere to stand wide open; (n.) ME, short for letters patent, trans. of ML litterae patentes open letters ]
Syn. 10. clear, palpable, conspicuous, unconcealed. See apparent .
Ant. 10. dim, obscure, hidden.