intellectual property

noun

plural intellectual properties

: property (such as a concept, idea, invention, or work) that derives from the effort of the mind or intellect

… Netflix is home to several popular intellectual properties like "Squid Game", "Power Rangers", and the 1980s sci-fi horror hit "Stranger Things".

—Danni Button

also : a right or registration (such as a patent, trademark, trade secret, or copyright) relating to or protecting this property

In a number of cases, tech companies have infringed on the intellectual property of smaller rivals, who have sued in court.

—The Boston Herald

called also IP

Examples of intellectual property in a Sentence

Any song that you write is your intellectual property.

Recent Examples on the Web

Silver Media Group, founded by Golden Horse Award-winning producer Chan Gin Kai, manages a portfolio of more than 1,500 intellectual property assets spanning film, animation, games and graphic novels. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026

Trade secrets, proprietary data, artificial intelligence models, operational expertise and institutional knowledge often become a company's most valuable intellectual property assets. — Joseph K. Hopkins, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

If intellectual property is ripped off wholesale, there will be little incentive to create more of it. — Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026

Schoenbrun has given us the entire life cycle of an intellectual property in three minutes, a sneak preview of the affection, the brilliance, and the sense of obsession to come. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

intellectual property

noun

: property (as an idea, method, or written work) that derives from the work of the mind

Legal Definition

intellectual property

see also:

property