proprietary

[ pruh-prahy-i-ter-ee ]

/ prəˈpraɪ ɪˌtɛr i /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR proprietary ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

belonging to a proprietor.

being a proprietor; holding property: the proprietary class.

pertaining to property or ownership: proprietary wealth.

belonging or controlled as property.

(of a brand name, product, service, formula, etc.) protected by a patent, copyright, or trademark: proprietary drugs; a proprietary name; a proprietary logo; a proprietary blend of ingredients.

privately owned and operated for profit: proprietary hospitals.

noun, plural pro·pri·e·tar·ies.

an owner or proprietor.

a body of proprietors.

American History. the grantee or owner, or one of the grantees or owners, of a proprietary colony.

ownership.

something owned, especially real estate.

a proprietary medicine.

Also called proprietary school. a school organized as a profit-making venture primarily to teach vocational skills or self-improvement techniques.

Nearby words

propoxyphene, propr, propr., propraetor, propranolol, proprietary, proprietary colony, proprietary hospital, proprietary medicine, proprietary name, proprietor

Origin of proprietary

1400–50; late Middle English (noun) < Medieval Latin proprietārius owner, noun use of Late Latin: of an owner, of ownership. See propriety, -ary

Related forms

pro·pri·e·tar·i·ly

[pruh-prahy-i-tair-i-lee, -prahy-i-ter-] /prəˌpraɪ ɪˈtɛər ɪ li, -ˈpraɪ ɪˌtɛr-/, adverbnon·pro·pri·e·tar·y, adjective, noun, plural non·pro·pri·e·tar·ies.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for proprietary

The Volcker Rule, a component of the far-reaching Dodd-Frank law, required large banks to cut back on proprietary trading.
The Incredible 'Wussiness' Of The Fed Vs Goldman Sachs—Caught On Tape|Daniel Gross|September 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That data is available only to publishers through their vendors and is proprietary unless released to the public.
Hillary’s Book Sales Are Weak by Clinton Standards|Jason Pinter|June 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nor did Microsoft transform its proprietary operating system into open-source code.
Tesla’s Radical Patent Move is a Plot to Take Over the Road|Daniel Gross|June 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The company created customized mixtapes at the point-of-sale with its own proprietary technology.
Apple Wants Beats So It Can Control You|Ted Gioia|May 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The CleanTech Open Global Forum, where they won the National Sustainability award in 2013, has lauded his proprietary system.
America’s Next Agricultural Revolution Will Happen Indoors|Sarah Kunst|April 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A few yards beyond her stood a woman whom she knew by sight as having established practically a proprietary right to her beat.
A Bed of Roses|W. L. George
This project of James, it was suspected, had its origin in his own proprietary interest in New York.
History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia|Charles Campbell
Judge Emery, after his proprietary good-by kiss, advised her to be quiet and rest.
The Squirrel-Cage|Dorothy Canfield
The Mercantile libraries are properly a branch of the proprietary, though depending mostly upon annual subscriptions.
A Book for All Readers|Ainsworth Rand Spofford
His uncle, who was then in England, had a lease on the proprietary at that time.
The Stronghold|Miriam Haynie

British Dictionary definitions for proprietary

proprietary

/ (prəˈpraɪɪtərɪ, -trɪ) /

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to property or proprietors

privately owned and controlled

med of or denoting a drug or agent manufactured and distributed under a trade nameCompare ethical (def. 3)

noun plural -taries

med a proprietary drug or agent

a proprietor or proprietors collectively

right to property
property owned

Also called: lord proprietary (in Colonial America) an owner, governor, or grantee of a proprietary colony

Derived Forms

proprietarily, adverb

Word Origin for proprietary

C15: from Late Latin proprietārius an owner, from proprius one's own

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for proprietary

proprietary

[ prə-prī′ĭ-tĕr′ē ]

adj.

Exclusively owned, as of a hospital.

Owned by an individual or corporation under a trademark or patent, as of a drug.

n.

A proprietary medicine.