patent

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: pătʹənt or pātʹənt, IPA ^(key): /ˈpætənt/ or [pʰæ̝ʔn̩t] or /ˈpeɪ-/ or [pʰe̞ɪ-]
• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈpeɪtənt/ or /ˈpæ-/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: pa‧tent

Noun

Singular patent

Plural patents

1. (countable) A patent is a way of protecting an invention from being stolen.

   Thomas Edison had over 2000 patents.

Verb

Plain form patent

Third-person singular patents

Past tense patented

Past participle patented

Present participle patenting

1. To patent means to get a patent on an invention

   Thomas Edison patented the light bulb and the phonograph.