patent

patent [pat′'nt; ] for adj. 2-4 & 8 [ pāt′'nt, pat′'nt; ] Brit usually [ pāt′'nt]

adj.

[ME < MFr & L: MFr patent < L patens, prp. of patere, to be open: see PATELLA]

1.

a) open to examination by the public: said of a document granting some right or rights, as to land, a franchise, an office, or, now esp., an invention [letters patent]

b) granted or appointed by letters patent

2. open to all; generally accessible or available

3. obvious; plain; evident [a patent lie]

4. open or unobstructed

5.

a) protected by a patent; patented

b) of or having to do with patents or the granting of patents [patent law]

6. produced or sold as a proprietary product: cf. PATENT MEDICINE

7. new, unusual, individual, etc.: also patented

8. Bot. Zool. spreading out or open; patulous

n.

1. an official document open to public examination and granting a certain right or privilege; letters patent; esp., a document granting the exclusive right to produce, sell, or get profit from an invention, process, etc. for a specific number of years

2.

a) the right so granted

b) the thing protected by such a right; patented article or process

3. public land, or title to such land, granted to a person by letters patent

4. any exclusive right, title, or license

vt.

1. to grant a patent to or for

2. to secure exclusive right to produce, use, and sell (an invention or process) by a patent; get a patent for

patentable [pat′'nt ə bəl]

adj.