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.
nonpatentable
-
a word derived from
patent.
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.
Year ago, California's southern district court held that the Steenbock patents were invalid because ultraviolet radiation was a nonpatentable "process of nature."
From Time Magazine Archive
