English · Work & Business
patent
/ˈpæt.ənt/
[/ˈpæt.ənt/]
legal right to an invention
Advancednoun
Definition
An official right given by a government that allows only the inventor to make or sell their invention for a set time.
Example
The engineer filed a patent for her new design to stop others from copying it.
The engineer filed a patent for her new design to stop others from copying it.
Etymology
From Latin 'patens' (lying open), from 'letters patent', open documents granting a right.
How & Where It’s Used
Used in law and innovation to protect inventions.