Definition of: patent

(pat′nt) noun
1. A government protection to an inventor, securing to him for a specific time the exclusive right of manufacturing, exploiting, using, and selling an invention; the right granted.
2. Hence, any official document securing a right.
3. A government grant or franchise of land; also, land so granted; the official certificate of such a grant.
4. That which is protected by a patent or its distinctive marks or features.
—v.t.
1. To obtain a patent on (an invention).
2. Rare To grant a patent for or to.
—pa·tent (pāt′nt for defs. 1, 4, 5; pat′nt for defs. 2, 3, 6) adjective
1. Manifest or apparent to everybody.
2. Protected or conferred by letters patent.
3. Open for general inspection or use: letters patent.
4. Expanded; spreading widely, as leaves from the stem of a plant.
5. Open; unobstructed, as an intestine.
6. Designating grades of flour, usually those of superior quality. See synonyms under EVIDENT, MANIFEST, NOTORIOUS, OPEN. ♦ In British English, pāt′nt is the usual pronunciation, except in Patent Office and letters patent. [<F <L patens, -entis, ppr. of patere lie open]
—pat′ent·a·bil′i·ty noun
—pat′ent·a·ble adjective