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

But Josh Gerben, one of the first attorneys to report Swift’s latest legal moves, said this is one of the growing gaps in intellectual property protection that AI can exploit.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

The more recent iteration of Bed Bath & Beyond emerged after Overstock acquired the failed retailer’s intellectual property in 2023.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

Taylor Swift has filed applications with the US intellectual property office to trademark her voice, a move similar to one made by actor Matthew McConaughey, as AI-generated content surges.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

His repeated efforts to protect his intellectual property were often viewed not as personal belligerence but as part of a longer historical pattern.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

And part of your job, aside from parsing abstract intellectual property issues for big corporations, is to help cultivate the next set of young lawyers being courted by the firm.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama