Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
patchy
patd.
pate
pâté
pâté de foie gras
patella
paten
patency
patent
patent leather
patent log
patent medicine
patent office
patent right
Patent Rolls
patent still
patentee
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

patent

pat·ent [ pátt'nt ]


noun  (plural pat·ents)
Definition:
 
1. exclusive right to market invention: an exclusive right officially granted by a government to an inventor to make or sell an invention

2. document granting patent: an official document setting out the terms of a patent

3. invention protected by patent: an invention for which a patent has been granted

4. document granting right: a official document that grants a right to somebody

5. government grant: a government grant that gives an individual title to public lands

6. U.S. land: the land granted by a government in a patent



adjective 
Definition:
 
1. clear or obvious: very obvious and not open to doubt
his patent discomfiture

2. protected by patent: protected by a patent from being copied or sold by somebody else
patent medicine

3. medicine unblocked: describes an artery, duct, or other tube in the body that is naturally open and unblocked

4. law open for inspection: describes a legal document that is accessible to anyone for inspection



transitive verb  (past and past participle pat·ent·ed, present participle pat·ent·ing, 3rd person present singular pat·ents)
Definition:
 
1. protect rights to something by patent: to obtain a patent on or for something, especially an invention

2. grant patent to somebody: to grant a patent to somebody for something, especially for a piece of land

[14th century. Directly or via French< Latin patent-, present participle of patere "lie open"]
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft