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patent

PAT-ent /ˈpætənt/

nounverbB2GRETOEFLIELTS

formallegal

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

A patent grants a monopoly for a limited time in exchange for public disclosure of the invention. It's a legal protection, not just a registration.

The story behind the word. The word 'patent' comes from the Latin 'patere', meaning 'to lie open'. This refers to 'letters patent' (litterae patentes), which were open letters from a sovereign, publicly declaring a grant of a monopoly or privilege. The idea was that the grant was 'open' for all to see, unlike 'letters close' which were sealed. Over time, it specifically came to mean the exclusive right granted for an invention.

Word relationships

license: Broader term; a patent is a specific type of exclusive license granted by the government for an invention.
grant: Refers to the act of bestowing rights, but 'patent' specifies the type of right and its subject.

public domain: Refers to works or inventions not protected by intellectual property rights, available for public use.

Commonly confused with

copyright: A patent protects inventions; copyright protects original artistic and literary works.
trademark: A patent protects inventions; a trademark protects brand names, logos, and slogans.

Word family

patentable (adjective): Capable of being patented.
patented (adjective): Protected by a patent.
patentee (noun): A person who holds a patent.

Collocations

file a patent
obtain a patent
patent infringement
patent application
patent rights

Idioms & expressions

patent leather (a type of glossy leather)

Example sentences

"The company filed a patent application for its new battery technology, hoping to secure exclusive rights for the next two decades." Discussing legal protection for an invention.
"After years of research, she was finally able to patent her groundbreaking method for sustainable plastic recycling." As a verb, to obtain a patent.
"The original patent for the telephone was granted to Alexander Graham Bell in 1876." Referring to an existing patent.

Memory hook

Think of a 'PATENT' as a 'PAT' on the back from the government, giving you exclusive 'ENT'itlement to your invention. PATENT = exclusive right.

When not to use

Do not use 'patent' to refer to a copyright (which protects artistic works) or a trademark (which protects brands and logos).

Fun facts

The first known patent was granted in Florence, Italy, in 1421.
A utility patent typically lasts 20 years from the filing date in the US, after which the invention enters the public domain.

Explore more words

monopoly, proprietary, license, monopolize, piracy, exclusivity