intellectual property

American  

noun

1. Law. property that results from original creative thought, as patents, copyright material, and trademarks.

2. an individual product of original creative thought.

   Microsoft’s Halo franchise is one of the most profitable intellectual properties in the video game industry.

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intellectual property British  

noun

1. an intangible asset, such as a copyright or patent

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Etymology

Origin of intellectual property

An Americanism dating back to 1840–45

Example Sentences

That sentiment can often seem true in a market where studio executives favor sequels and drab intellectual property over originality and fresh takes.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026

Instead of manufacturing the processors themselves, Arm designs the blueprints and licenses its intellectual property to tech companies.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The aim is to help these companies attract price capital, compete globally, retain talent and intellectual property and remain anchored in Canada, the government said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The studio has released games based on Uno, Skip-Bo and other Mattel intellectual property.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

We’d tackled gun control, the meaning of intellectual property, the structure of American education, and the future of networked computing.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz