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Definition of patented - 3 dictionary results

pat⋅ent

[pat-nt or, for 10, 12–15, peyt-; especially Brit. peyt-nt]
–noun
1. the exclusive right granted by a government to an inventor to manufacture, use, or sell an invention for a certain number of years.
2. an invention or process protected by this right.
3. an official document conferring such a right; letters patent.
4. the instrument by which the government of the United States conveys the legal fee-simple title to public land.
5. patent leather.
–adjective patent (for 10, 12–15.)
6. protected by a patent; patented: a patent cooling device.
7. pertaining to, concerned with, or dealing with patents, esp. on inventions: a patent attorney; patent law.
8. conferred by a patent, as a right or privilege.
9. holding a patent, as a person.
10. readily open to notice or observation; evident; obvious: a patent breach of good manners.
11. made of patent leather: patent shoes.
12. lying open; not enclosed or shut in: a patent field.
13. Chiefly Botany. expanded or spreading.
14. open, as a doorway or a passage.
15. Phonetics. open, in various degrees, to the passage of the breath stream.
–verb (used with object)
16. to take out a patent on; obtain the exclusive rights to (an invention, process, etc.) by a patent.
17. to originate and establish as one's own.
18. Metallurgy. to heat and quench (wire) so as to prepare for cold-drawing.
19. to grant (public land) by a patent.

Origin:
1250–1300; (adj.) ME < L patent- (s. of patēns) open, orig. prp. of patēre to stand wide open; (n.) ME, short for letters patent, trans. of ML litterae patentēs open letters


pat⋅ent⋅a⋅ble, adjective
pat⋅ent⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun
pat⋅ent⋅a⋅bly, adverb
pa⋅tent⋅ly, adverb


10. clear, palpable, conspicuous, unconcealed. See apparent.


10. dim, obscure, hidden.
pat·ent   (pāt'nt)   
n.  
    1. A grant made by a government that confers upon the creator of an invention the sole right to make, use, and sell that invention for a set period of time.
    2. Letters patent.
    3. An invention protected by such a grant.
    4. A grant made by a government that confers on an individual fee-simple title to public lands.
    5. The official document of such a grant.
    6. The land so granted.
    1. A grant made by a government that confers on an individual fee-simple title to public lands.
    2. The official document of such a grant.
    3. The land so granted.
  1. An exclusive right or title.
adj.  
    1. Protected or conferred by a patent or letters patent: a patent right.
    2. Of, relating to, or dealing in patents: patent law.
    3. Not blocked; open.
    4. Spreading open; expanded.
  1. also (pāt'nt) Obvious; plain. See Synonyms at apparent.
  2. (pāt'nt) Biology
    1. Not blocked; open.
    2. Spreading open; expanded.
  3. Of, relating to, or being a nonprescription drug or other medical preparation that is often protected by a trademark.
  4. Of high quality. Used of flour.
  5. also (pāt'nt) Archaic Open to general inspection. Used especially of documents.
tr.v.   pat·ent·ed, pat·ent·ing, pat·ents
  1. To obtain a patent on or for (an invention, for example).
  2. To invent, originate, or be the proprietor of (an idea, for example).
  3. To grant a patent to or for.

[Middle English, document granting a right, short for (lettre) patent, open (letter), from Old French (lettre) patente, from Latin patēns, patent-, open, present participle of patēre, to be open; see petə- in Indo-European roots.]
pat'ent·a·bil'i·ty n., pat'ent·a·ble adj.
pat·ent·ed   (pāt'n-tĭd)   
adj.  
  1. Characteristic of, unique to, or originated by a particular person or group: Throughout the campaign, the candidate refuted his rival's criticisms with a series of patented responses.
  2. Protected or conferred by a patent or letters patent: a patented process.
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