patent Definition

patent
noun

1. An official licence from the government granting a person or business the sole right, for a certain period, to make and sell a particular article.

Thesaurus: copyright, registered trademark, certificate.
2. The right so granted.
3. The invention so protected.

verb

patented, patenting
1. To obtain a patent for (an invention, design, etc).

adj

1. Very evident.

Example: a patent violation of the law
Thesaurus: obvious, open, evident, clear, ostensible, explicit, manifest, plain, undeniable, transparent.
2. Concerned with the granting of, or protection by, patents.

Thesaurus: licensed, copyrighted, proprietary, protected, controlled, monopolized, limited.
3. Said of a product: made or protected under patent.
4. colloq
Ingenious; infallible; original.
5. Open for inspection.

Example: letters patent

Derivative: patentable
adj

Derivative: patently
adverb

Openly; clearly.
Example: patently obvious

Etymology: 14c: from Latin patens, patentis lying open, from patere to lie open.