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patent
noun
an
official
right
granted
by
a
government
that
allows
the
inventor
of
something
to
be
the
only
person
or
company
to
make
,
use
,
or
sell
it
for
a
certain
number
of
years
•
After
years
of
research
,
Maria
finally
received
a
patent
for
her
water-saving
faucet
.
After
years
of
research
,
Maria
finally
received
a
patent
for
her
water-saving
faucet
.
•
The
start-up
impressed
investors
by
already
owning
several
valuable
patents
.
The
start-up
impressed
investors
by
already
owning
several
valuable
patents
.
From
Middle
French
patente
,
from
Latin
patens
“
lying
open
,”
referring
to
open
letters
issued
by
a
sovereign
.
verb
-
patent
,
patenting
,
patents
,
patented
to
obtain
an
official
government
right
that
gives
you
the
sole
authority
to
make
,
use
,
or
sell
an
invention
•
The
scientist
decided
to
patent
his
biodegradable
plastic
before
publishing
the
results
.
The
scientist
decided
to
patent
his
biodegradable
plastic
before
publishing
the
results
.
•
They
are
patenting
a
battery
that
can
recharge
in
five
minutes
.
They
are
patenting
a
battery
that
can
recharge
in
five
minutes
.
From
the
noun
form
of
patent
meaning
“
government
grant
,”
used
as
a
verb
from
the
19th
century
onward
.
adjective
clearly
obvious
or
plain
for
everyone
to
see
•
It
was
a
patent
lie
,
and
nobody
believed
him
for
a
second
.
It
was
a
patent
lie
,
and
nobody
believed
him
for
a
second
.
•
Her
patent
enthusiasm
for
the
project
lifted
the
whole
team
’
s
spirits
.
Her
patent
enthusiasm
for
the
project
lifted
the
whole
team
’
s
spirits
.
From
Latin
patens
“
lying
open
.”
The
sense
of
“
obvious
”
developed
in
the
16th
century
from
the
idea
of
something
being
openly
visible
.
adjective
(
medical
)
open
and
unobstructed
,
allowing
fluid
or
air
to
pass
through
•
The
surgeon
confirmed
the
artery
was
patent
after
the
bypass
.
The
surgeon
confirmed
the
artery
was
patent
after
the
bypass
.
•
Ultrasound
imaging
showed
that
the
vein
remained
patent
.
Ultrasound
imaging
showed
that
the
vein
remained
patent
.
Specialized
medical
use
of
the
general
adjective
sense
“
open
,”
first
recorded
in
the
19th
century
.