patent
noun
the exclusive right granted by a government to an inventor to manufacture, use, or sell an invention for a certain number of years.
have patented
-
present perfectof patent.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Johns Hopkins said it never sold or profited from the cell lines, but many companies have patented ways of using them.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 1, 2023
"I think I should have patented the phrase a long time ago, missed a trick there," joked Iwan.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2022
Other drugmakers have patented scores of uninspiring tweaks to their existing products: making a tablet instead of a pill, changing the dose, adding a flavor.
From New York Times ● Apr. 16, 2022
“If they’re doing something special, they’re a big enough company, they would have patented it,” he says.
From The Verge ● Nov. 21, 2018
In 1832, wizard Abel Treetops of Cincinnati claimed to have patented a method of taming Wampus Cats for use as guards over wizarding houses.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
