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

See Examples For:

intellectual property

“ByteDance respects the intellectual property rights that underpin creative industries around the world, and we believe responsible innovation in AI goes hand in hand with meaningful protections for rightsholders,” ByteDance’s Rogovin said in the statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

Archer and Wisk had agreed in 2023 to co-develop autonomous aviation technology, part of settling litigation over each company’s intellectual property.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

He also noted that Churchill Downs made an $85-million offer this spring to purchase the intellectual property rights to the Preakness, but the state of Maryland matched it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Andrew Lee, partner and head of intellectual property at law firm Brandsmiths, which represented Hasbro, told BBC News it was a "significant judgment".

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

He is getting the intellectual property from these three applications, said Juster, and they are empowering him to start a company with very little money.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman