patent

¹pat·ent

adjective \1–3 are ˈpa-t^ənt, chiefly British ˈpā-; 4 ˈpā-; 5 ˈpā-, ˈpa-; 6–7 ˈpa-, ˈpā-, British usually ˈpā-\

Definition of PATENT

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

— pat·ent·ly adverb

Examples of PATENT

1. The company settled a patent dispute last year.
2. the licensing of patent rights
3. They were sued for patent infringement.
4. His explanation turned out to be a patent lie.
5. She acted with patent disregard for the rules.

Origin of PATENT

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

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PATENT

Synonyms

apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, broad, clear-cut, crystal clear, decided, distinct, evident, lucid, luculent, luminous, manifest, nonambiguous, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, clear, pellucid, perspicuous, plain, ringing, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unambivalent, unequivocal, unmistakable

Antonyms

ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic (also enigmatical), equivocal, indistinct, mysterious, nonobvious, obfuscated, obscure, unapparent, unclarified, unclear, unclouded

Related Words

cognizable, cognoscible, comprehendible, comprehensible, digestible, fathomable, graspable, intelligible, knowable, understandable; self-evident, self-explanatory; clean-cut, simple, tidy, uncomplicated; overt, undisguised; appreciable, perceptible, recognizable, sensible, tangible; discernible (also discernable), noticeable, observable, visible; black-and-white, explicit, trenchant, well-defined; clean, decipherable, fair, legible, readable

Near Antonyms

incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable, unintelligible, unknowable; impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indiscernible, insensible; cloudy, gauzy, gray (also grey), hazy, imprecise, indefinite, indeterminate, misty, murky, nebulous, noncommital, sketchy, slippery, subtle, vague; illegible, undecipherable, unreadable

See Synonym Discussion at evident

²pat·ent

noun \ˈpa-t^ənt, British also ˈpā-\

Definition of PATENT

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

Examples of PATENT

1. The product is protected by patent.

First Known Use of PATENT

14th century

³pat·ent

transitive verb \same as ²\

Definition of PATENT

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^ən-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē, British also ˌpā-\ noun

— pat·ent·able \ˈpa-t^ən-tə-bəl, British also ˈpā-\ adjective

Examples of PATENT

1. The product was patented by its inventor.

First Known Use of PATENT

1675

pa·tent

adjective \ˈpat-^ənt, British usually ˈpāt-\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of PATENT

1

: protected by a trademark or a trade name so as to establish proprietary rights analogous to those conveyed by a patent : proprietary <patent drugs>

2

\ˈpāt-\: affording free passage : being open and unobstructed <the nose patent with no pathological discharge—Journal of the American Medical Association>

patent

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Government grant to an inventor of the exclusive right to make, use, or sell an invention, usually for a specified term. It may be granted for a process or method that is new, useful, and not obvious, or for a new use of a known process, machine, or composition of matter or material, including asexually reproduced plants and genetically engineered organisms. It may also be granted for any new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture. The first recorded patent for an industrial invention was granted in 1421 in Florence to the architect and engineer Filippo Brunelleschi. Until recently there were wide variations in the patent systems implemented by different countries. The duration of patents recognized generally ranged from 16 to 20 years. In some countries (e.g., France), some patents were given shorter terms because the inventions had an overall general usefulness. In communist countries (e.g., the Soviet Union), patents per se were not recognized; instead, certificates were issued to inventors to ensure that they received some form of compensation for their work. The agreement establishing the World Trade Organization in the 1990s specifies a minimum set of exclusive rights that all patentees must be accorded and mandates a minimum patent term of 20 years from the date an application is filed. Patents are considered personal property and may be sold, assigned, or otherwise transferred.