patent

1 of 3

adjective

pat·ent

senses 1–3 are

ˈpa-tᵊnt

chiefly British ˈpā-;

sense 4 ˈpā-;

sense 5 ˈpā-,

ˈpa-;

senses 6–7 ˈpa-,

ˈpā-,

British usually

ˈpā-

Synonyms of patent next

: open to public inspection

—used chiefly in the phrase letters patent

b(1)

: secured by letters patent or by a patent to the exclusive control and possession of a particular individual or party

patent foodstuffs have acquired an ever-increasing importance—

Friedel Strauss

(2)

: protected by a patent : made under a patent

patent locks

a patent coffee maker

: protected by a trademark or a brand name so as to establish proprietary rights analogous to those conveyed by letters patent or a patent : proprietary

patent drugs

: of, relating to, or concerned with the granting of patents especially for inventions

a patent lawyer

patent law

: making exclusive or proprietary claims or pretensions

peddled his patent notions in season and out

: affording free passage : unobstructed

a patent opening

: patulous, spreading

a patent calyx

archaic : accessible, exposed

: readily visible or intelligible : obvious

his patent sincerity

a patent falsehood

patently adverb

patent

2 of 3

noun

pat·ent ˈpa-tᵊnt

British also

ˈpā-

: an official document conferring a right or privilege : letters patent

: a writing securing for a term of years the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention

: the monopoly or right so granted

: a patented invention

: privilege, license

: an instrument making a conveyance of public lands

also : the land so conveyed

: patent leather

patent

3 of 3

verb

pat·ent ˈpa-tᵊnt

British also

ˈpā-

patented; patenting; patents

transitive verb

: to obtain or grant a patent right to

: to grant a privilege, right, or license to by patent

: to obtain or secure by patent

especially : to secure by letters patent exclusive right to make, use, or sell

patentability

ˌpa-tᵊn-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

British also ˌpā-

noun

patentable

ˈpa-tᵊn-tə-bəl

British also ˈpā-

adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for patent

evident, manifest, patent, distinct, obvious, apparent, plain, clear mean readily perceived or apprehended.

evident implies presence of visible signs that lead one to a definite conclusion.

an evident fondness for sweets

manifest implies an external display so evident that little or no inference is required.

manifest hostility

patent applies to a cause, effect, or significant feature that is clear and unmistakable once attention has been directed to it.

patent defects

distinct implies such sharpness of outline or definition that no unusual effort to see or hear or comprehend is required.

a distinct refusal

obvious implies such ease in discovering that it often suggests conspicuousness or little need for perspicacity in the observer.

the obvious solution

apparent is very close to evident except that it may imply more conscious exercise of inference.

for no apparent reason

plain suggests lack of intricacy, complexity, or elaboration.

her feelings about him are plain

clear implies an absence of anything that confuses the mind or obscures the pattern.

a clear explanation

Examples of patent in a Sentence

Adjective The company settled a patent dispute last year. the licensing of patent rights They were sued for patent infringement. His explanation turned out to be a patent lie. She acted with patent disregard for the rules. Noun The product is protected by patent. Verb The product was patented by its inventor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Adjective

Such pre-patent Oysters are extremely rare, the auction house says. —

Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2025 The caveat that Edison filed in 1890 was the latest in a long line of pre-patent applications. —

Nat Segnit, Harper’s Magazine , 16 Mar. 2022

Noun

Clinical trials showed that ivermectin didn’t work, but covid skeptics viewed medicine’s rejection of it as part of a conspiracy by Big Pharma against a cheap, off-patent drug. —

Arthur Allen, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025 The Carmen pumps are available on the Sole Bliss website in an array of colors including metallic suede, black leather, metallic taupe, pale taupe patent, navy suede and sand leather. —

Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025

Verb

The research team studied copper cobaltate nanoneedles patented by the University of California San Diego. —

Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025 But with everything much more global, New Jersey is back on the map for filming, and 1888 Studios is even named after the year Edison patented the motion film camera. —

Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for patent

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Noun, and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin patent-, patens, from present participle of patēre to be open — more at fathom

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1675, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of patent was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

patener

patent

patent base

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Patent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patent. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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Kids Definition

patent

1 of 3 adjective

pat·ent

sense 1 is

ˈpat-ᵊnt

sense 2 is

ˈpāt-

ˈpat-

: protected by a patent

: of, relating to, or concerned with patents

a patent lawyer

: proprietary entry 2 sense 2

a patent can opener

: plain entry 2 sense 4a, obvious

a patent lie

patently adverb

patent

2 of 3 noun

pat·ent ˈpat-ᵊnt

: an official document granting a right or privilege

especially : a writing granting to an inventor for a term of years the only right to make, use, or sell his or her invention

: the right granted by a patent

patent

3 of 3 verb

pat·ent ˈpat-ᵊnt

: to protect by patent

patentable

ˈpat-ᵊn-tə-bəl

adjective

Medical Definition

patent

adjective

pa·tent

ˈpat-ᵊnt, British usually ˈpāt-

: protected by a trademark or a trade name so as to establish proprietary rights analogous to those conveyed by a patent : proprietary

patent drugs

ˈpāt-

: affording free passage : being open and unobstructed

the nose patent with no pathological discharge—

The Journal of the American Medical Association

Legal Definition

patent

1 of 3 adjective

pat·ent ˈpat-ᵊnt, 3 also ˈpāt-

: open to public inspection see also letters patent at letter sense 2

: secured or protected by a patent

a nonexclusive patent license to produce and sell the product

sought to enforce her patent rights against infringement

: of, relating to, or concerned with the granting of patents especially for inventions

a patent lawyer

involved in patent litigation

: readily seen, discovered, or understood

a patent defect

if no bad faith or abuse is patent

compare latent

patently adverb

patent

2 of 3 noun

pat·ent ˈpat-ᵊnt

: an official document conferring a right or privilege : letters patent at letter 2

: the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention or products made by an invented process that is granted to an inventor and his or her heirs or assigns for a term of years see also intellectual property at property compare copyright, trademark

Note: A patent may be granted for a process, act, or method that is new, useful, and not obvious, for a new use of a known process, machine, or composition of matter or material, as well as for an asexually reproduced distinct and new variety of plant (excluding one propagated from a tuber), and for any new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture. Design patents are issued for a term of 14 years. Patents issuing on applications made after June 8, 1995, for basic or plant patents (excluding design patents) are for a term of 20 years from the date of application. An inventor can file a provisional patent application, which requires less documentation and lower fees than a regular application, before reducing the invention to practice. This allows the inventor to claim “patent pending” status for the invention and to establish an earlier filing date and priority of the invention. A regular patent application must be made within a year of the provisional application or it will expire. Patents are considered personal property and may be sold, assigned, or otherwise transferred. Under common law, if a patented invention or discovery is made while the inventor is working for a company, and is made on company time with company facilities and materials, the employer receives an irrevocable, nonassignable, nonexclusive, royalty-free license to use it. Often an employee is required contractually to assign his or her patent to the employer.

: the writing securing such a right

received his patent in the mail

: a patented invention

all substantial rights to a patent—

Internal Revenue Code

: an instrument making a conveyance of public lands

to issue a patent to each of said Indians for the village or town lot occupied by him—

U.S. Code

patent

adjective

noun

verb

Synonyms

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patent

adjective

noun

verb

Synonyms

Examples of patent in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing patent

Rhymes for patent

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Kids Definition

Medical Definition

Legal Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on patent

More from Merriam-Webster

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