PATENT – a grant made by a government to an individual, conveying fee-simple title to public lands; the official document of such a grant; the land so granted
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
patent (adjective)1.
a) open to public inspection - used chiefly in the phrase letters patent
b) (1) secured by letters patent or by a patent to the exclusive control and possession of a particular individual or party
(2) protected by a patent made under a patent - patent locks
c) protected by a trademark or a brand name so as to establish proprietary rights analogous to those conveyed by letters patent or a patent - proprietary patent drugs
2.
of, relating to, or concerned with the granting of especially for inventions - patents a patent lawyer
3.
making exclusive or proprietary claims or pretensions
4.
affording free passage - unobstructed a patent opening
5.
- patulous spreading a patent calyx
6.
archaic - accessible exposed
7.
readily visible or intelligible - obvious evident
1.
an official document conferring a right or privilege - letters patent
2.
a) a writing securing for a term of years the exclusive right to make, use, or sell an invention
b) the monopoly or right so granted
c) a invention - patented
3.
- privilege license
4.
an instrument making a conveyance of public lands , also the land so conveyed
5.
- patent leather
transitive verb
1.
to obtain or grant a patent right to
2.
to grant a privilege, right, or license to by patent
3.
to obtain or secure by patent , especially to secure by letters patent exclusive right to make, use, or sell