TOP

Definition of patent noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

 

patent

 noun
noun
NAmE//ˈpætnt//
 
[countable, uncountable]
 
jump to other results
  • an official right to be the only person to make, use, or sell a product or an invention; a document that proves this to apply for/obtain a patent on an invention The device was protected by patent.
    • Idioms
    patent pending
     
    jump to other results
    used to show that an application for a patent has been made for a particular product or invention, but has not yet been approved
    See patent in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
    Check pronunciation: patent

    Nearby words