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

He said Universal had reshaped the industry to put artists at its centre, and had shown it could seize growth opportunities from artificial intelligence while protecting intellectual property.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Coming from a family of artists, she said, it offends her that AI models train on the creative work of people who aren’t compensated for their intellectual property.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

In the US, AI firms fiercely guard their intellectual property, but in China, there's been a greater "open source" approach.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

The AI-related issues confronting content creators such as Disney start with fears that they will lose control over their own intellectual property.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

He didn’t answer when I asked whether he considered train tickets material or intellectual property.

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