patent

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) An official document granting an appointment, privilege, or right, or some property or title; letters patent.
2. (countable, specifically, uncountable) A grant of a monopoly over the manufacture, sale, and use of goods.
3. (countable, specifically, uncountable) A declaration issued by a government agency that the inventor of a new invention has the sole privilege of making, selling, or using the claimed invention for a specified period.
4. (US, countable, historical, uncountable) A specific grant of ownership of a piece of real property; a land patent.
5. (broadly, countable, uncountable) A product in respect of which a patent (sense 1.2.2) has been obtained.
6. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable) Ellipsis of patent leather (“a varnished, high-gloss leather typically used for accessories and shoes”).
7. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) A licence or (formal) permission to do something.
8. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) A characteristic or quality that one possesses; in particular (hyperbolic) as if exclusively; a monopoly.
9. (countable, uncountable) The combination of seven bets on three selections, offering a return even if only one bet comes in.

Verb

1. (transitive) To (successfully) register (a new invention) with a government agency to obtain the sole privilege of its manufacture, sale, and use for a specified period.
2. (US, historical, transitive) To obtain (over a piece of real property) a specific grant of ownership.
3. (figuratively, transitive) To be closely associated or identified with (something); to monopolize.

Adj

1. Conspicuous; open; unconcealed.
2. Conspicuous; open; unconcealed.
3. Conspicuous; open; unconcealed.
4. Conspicuous; open; unconcealed.
5. Explicit and obvious.
6. (archaic) Especially of a document conferring some privilege or right: open to public perusal or use.
7. (archaic) Appointed or conferred by letters patent.
8. Of a branch, leaf, etc.: outspread; also, spreading at right angles to the axis.
9. Protected by a legal patent.
10. (broadly, figuratively) To which someone has, or seems to have, a claim or an exclusive claim; also, inventive or particularly suited for.

Synonyms

obvious

evident

apparent

clear

overt

manifest

monopoly

unmistakable

copyright

©️

demonstrable

definite

letters patent

proprietary

avowed

patent of invention

open

special permission

plain

pat

monopolistic

monopolized

novel

open-ended

palpable

patented

patent leather

pending

prerogative

privilege

professed

public

spreading

syndicate

transparent

trust

unconcealed

undisguised

undone

unfenced

unobstructed

unreserved

upfront

visible

unenclosed

letter patent

biopiracy

unsoluble

proprietary articles

take out a patent

aboveboard

Translations

brevet

patente

brevetto

patente

Patent

octrooi

patentar

patent

patentieren

patent

brevettare

patentear

breveter

evidente

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpeɪtənt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: patent

Cognate with French: patent

In summary

The noun is derived from Middle English patent (“document granting an office, property, right, title, etc.; document granting permission, licence; papal indulgence, pardon”) [and other forms], which is either:
* a clipping of lettre patent, lettres patente, lettres patentes [and other forms]; or
* directly from Anglo-Norman and Middle French patente (modern French patent), a clipping of Anglo-Norman lettres patentes, Middle French lettres patentes, lettre patente, and Old French patentes lettres (“document granting an office, privilege, right, etc., or making a decree”) (compare Late Latin patēns, littera patēns, litterae patentēs).
For the derivation of Anglo-Norman and Middle French patente (adjective) in lettre patente, see etymology 2 below.
The verb is derived from the noun.