Patent

Definition

Patent generally refers to a government authority or license conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention.

Parts of Speech

• Noun
• Adjective
• Verb

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈpætnt/ or /ˈpeɪtənt/
• Respelling: PAT-nt or PAY-tent (with "PAT" as in "cat," and "nt" as in "intent" or "PAY" as in "pay," "tent" as in "tent")

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈpeɪtənt/
• Respelling: PAY-tent (with "PAY" as in "pay," and "tent" as in "tent")

In both dialects, "patent" can be pronounced with variations depending on context, such as distinguishing between the noun and adjective forms. In American English, it is common to hear both a clipped form (PAT-nt) typically used for the noun, and a fuller form (PAY-tent) often used when stressing the word as an adjective. British English typically uses the fuller form (PAY-tent).

Etymology

The word "patent" originates from the Latin word patens, the present participle of the verb patescere, meaning "to open." It referred to the "open" letters issued by the government, meaning they were available for public inspection.

Derivatives

• Patentable
• Patentee
• Patentor
• Patentability
• Patenting

Synonyms

• License
• Grant
• Charter

Antonyms

• Deny
• Revoke
• Concealed

Usage

"Patent" is commonly associated with inventions, granting inventors exclusive rights to their discoveries. However, it can also refer to something being open or evident. The patent system was designed to incentivize innovation by providing inventors with an exclusive period during which they could profit from their creations.

Related Terms

• Copyright
• Trademark
• Intellectual Property
• Infringement
• Licensing

Detailed Definition

Noun

• An official document conferring a right or privilege.
• Example: "She received a patent for her innovative design."

• Exclusive rights granted by a patent.
• Example: "The company holds several patents for their technology.

Adjective

• Clearly apparent or obvious.
• Example: "It was patent that the invention was revolutionary."

• Open to public inspection, as a document in a patent office.
• Example: "The patent file was available for review."

Verb

• To obtain a patent for an invention.
• Example: "He patented his new software to protect it from being copied."

• To grant a patent to.
• Example: "The invention was patented by the inventor last year."