Noun
- 1. patent, patent of invention, document, written document, papers
- usage: a document granting an inventor sole rights to an invention
- 2. patent, letters patent, legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument
- usage: an official document granting a right or privilege
Verb
- 1. patent, procure, secure
- usage: obtain a patent for; "Should I patent this invention?"
- 2. patent, register
- usage: grant rights to; grant a patent for
- 3. patent, change, alter, modify
- usage: make open to sight or notice; "His behavior has patented an embarrassing fact about him"
Adjective
- 1. patent, unobstructed (vs. obstructed)
- usage: (of a bodily tube or passageway) open; affording free passage; "patent ductus arteriosus"
- 2. apparent, evident, manifest, patent, plain, unmistakable, obvious (vs. unobvious)
- usage: clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment; "the effects of the drought are apparent to anyone who sees the parched fields"; "evident hostility"; "manifest disapproval"; "patent advantages"; "made his meaning plain"; "it is plain that he is no reactionary"; "in plain view"
WordNet 3.0 Copyright © 2006 by Princeton University.
All rights reserved.Definition and meaning of patent (Dictionary)