Word
patent
/ˈpætənt/
Definitions
01legal protection for an invention
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law
n. an official right given by the government to be the only person or company allowed to make, use, or sell a new invention for a certain number of years.
n. a government authority or licence conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention.
日本語:特許※
“The company applied for a patent to protect their new engine design from being copied.”
“The pharmaceutical giant filed a patent for the new compound, ensuring they would remain the sole providers of the treatment for the next twenty years.”
Synonyms
02obvious
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. very clear and easy to see; obvious to everyone.
adj. easily recognisable or obvious; often used to describe qualities like lies, nonsense, or errors.
“It was a patent lie, but nobody in the room wanted to argue with him.”
“The witness's testimony was filled with such patent contradictions that the jury found it impossible to believe his version of events.”
03protected by law
C1 · Advanced Law Technical
adj. protected by a patent so that other companies cannot make the same thing.
adj. relating to or being a product or process that is protected by a patent.
“The pharmacy sells both the patent medicine and a cheaper generic version.”
“The hospital's procurement policy prioritises generic alternatives over patent drugs to manage the rising costs of patient care.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “patent” in context.
Verb
01. file for a patent
“The tech giant decided to file for a patent to protect their latest software algorithm.”
verb + prep + noun
02. grant a patent
“The authorities finally granted a patent to the inventor after a lengthy review process.”
verb + noun
03. infringe a patent
“The startup was sued because their new product allegedly infringed a patent held by a competitor.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. expired patent
“Generic drug manufacturers often wait for an expired patent to enter the market with cheaper alternatives.”
adj + noun
05. pending patent
“The company marked the prototype with a pending patent label to deter imitators.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. patent holder
“As the sole patent holder, she receives royalties from every unit sold worldwide.”
noun + noun
07. patent infringement
“The legal team specialized in patent infringement cases involving telecommunications hardware.”
noun + noun
08. validity of the patent
“The defense lawyers questioned the validity of the patent during the cross-examination.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“The researchers have applied for a patent covering compound 10, and the basic research phase has now been completed.” “The patent behind the system describes targets that may be people or vehicles.” Etymology
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.
From Middle English patent, patente (“wide open; clear, unobstructed; unlimited; of a document: available for public inspection”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman and Middle French patent (modern French patent), and directly from their etymon Latin patēns (“open; accessible, passable; evident, manifest; exposed, vulnerable”), the present active participle of pateō (“to be open; to be accessible, attainable; to be exposed, vulnerable; of frontiers or land: to extent, increase”), from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread out; to fly”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/patent
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0