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

The hackers allegedly stole more than 31 terabytes of academic data and intellectual property from universities, as well as emails and other information from employees at private companies, government agencies, and NGOs. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 18 Aug. 2026

Founded in 2020 by Luo, Stars Collective is a global intellectual property company with operations in Los Angeles, China and Japan. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

Proposition 42 would ban new taxes on assets such as as personal property, intellectual property and retirement accounts. — Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

This involves transforming personal experiences into actionable intellectual property, articulating underlying patterns employees feel but haven't expressed, and leveraging exclusive internal data. — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 17 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