patent

¹pat·ent

adj
\1–3 are ˈpa-t^ənt, chiefly British ˈpā-; 4 ˈpā-; 5 ˈpā-, ˈpa-; 6–7 ˈpa-, ˈpā-, British usually ˈpā-\

Definition of PATENT

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 patents especially for inventions <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

— pat·ent·ly adverb

Examples of PATENT

1. The company settled a patent dispute last year.
2. the licensing of patent rights
3. They were sued for patent infringement.
4. His explanation turned out to be a patent lie.
5. She acted with patent disregard for the rules.

Origin of PATENT

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin patent-, patens, from present participle of patēre to be open — more at fathom

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PATENT

Synonyms: apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, broad, clear-cut, crystal clear, decided, distinct, evident, lucid, luculent, luminous, manifest, nonambiguous, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, clear, pellucid, perspicuous, plain, ringing, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unambivalent, unequivocal, unmistakable

Antonyms: ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic (also enigmatical), equivocal, indistinct, mysterious, nonobvious, obfuscated, obscure, unapparent, unclarified, unclear, unclouded

Related Words: cognizable, cognoscible, comprehendible, comprehensible, digestible, fathomable, graspable, intelligible, knowable, understandable; self-evident, self-explanatory; clean-cut, simple, tidy, uncomplicated; overt, undisguised; appreciable, perceptible, recognizable, sensible, tangible; discernible (also discernable), noticeable, observable, visible; black-and-white, explicit, trenchant, well-defined; clean, decipherable, fair, legible, readable

Near Antonyms: incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable, unintelligible, unknowable; impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indiscernible, insensible; cloudy, gauzy, gray (also grey), hazy, imprecise, indefinite, indeterminate, misty, murky, nebulous, noncommital, sketchy, slippery, subtle, vague; illegible, undecipherable, unreadable

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See Synonym Discussion at evident