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patent

PAT-unt /ˈpæt.ənt/

nounverbadjectiveB2GRETOEFLIELTS

formallegalbusiness

A government authority or license conferring a sole right or title for a set period to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention.

Applies strictly to technical inventions, mechanical processes, and functional designs—never to literary works or brand logos.

The story behind the word. The term comes from the Latin 'patere', meaning 'to lie open'. Historically, royal decrees granting exclusive rights were called 'letters patent' (litterae patentes) because they were delivered open, with the royal seal attached at the bottom, so anyone could read them.

Word relationships

monopoly: Monopoly refers broadly to market dominance, whereas a patent is a legal grant limited to a specific invention.

public domain: Public domain refers to works or ideas free for anyone to use without permission or legal restriction.

Commonly confused with

copyright: Patents protect functional inventions, while copyrights protect original artistic and creative expressions.

Word family

patentable (adjective): Capable of being patented.
patented (adjective): Protected by a patent.

Collocations

file a patent
patent infringement
patent holder
patent pending

Example sentences

"The technology giant filed a patent application for its new solid-state battery architecture." Tech news coverage on innovation
"In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for the telephone." Legal history context

Memory hook

A patent makes an invention PATently clear to the public while locking out rivals. PATENT = Open document, locked rights.

When not to use

Do not use 'patent' when referring to music, books, or brand slogans; use 'copyright' or 'trademark' instead.

Fun facts

The first recorded patent was granted in Florence in 1421 to architect Filippo Brunelleschi for a marble-transporting barge.