- (a.) A letter patent or letters patent; an official document, issued by a sovereign power, conferring a right or privilege on some person or party.
- (a.) Spreading; forming a nearly right angle with the steam or branch; as, a patent leaf.
- (a.) Open to public perusal; -- said of a document conferring some right or privilege; as, letters patent. See Letters patent, under 3d Letter.
- (a.) Open; expanded; evident; apparent; unconcealed; manifest; public; conspicuous.
- (a.) Appropriated or protected by letters patent; secured by official authority to the exclusive possession, control, and disposal of some person or party; patented; as, a patent right; patent medicines.
- (v.t.) To grant by patent; to make the subject of a patent; to secure or protect by patent; as, to patent an invention; to patent public lands.
- (a.) A document making a grant and conveyance of public lands.
- (a.) The right or privilege conferred by such a document; hence, figuratively, a right, privilege or license of the nature of a patent.
- (a.) A writing securing to an invention.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). patent. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/patent/definitions/2042632 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "patent" http://smartdefine.org/patent/definitions/2042632 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, patent, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/patent/definitions/2042632>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "patent" 27 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/patent/definitions/2042632> |