Proprietary
As an Adjective
- Related to ownership or exclusive rights over something.
- Privately owned and controlled, especially in business or technology.
- Restricted to a specific owner or company, not publicly available.
As a Noun
- A product, service, or system owned and controlled by a particular company.
- (Historical) A person granted ownership of a colony or land by a ruling authority.
As Other Form
- Proprietor (Noun): The owner of a business or property.
Word History
The word proprietary comes from the Latin proprietarius, meaning “owner,” derived from proprietas (property or ownership). It originally referred to private ownership and has since expanded to legal, business, and technology contexts.
Examples
- The company developed a proprietary software that competitors cannot use. (Adjective – exclusive)
- His proprietary blend of spices makes the dish unique. (Adjective – privately owned)
- The medicine is sold under a proprietary brand name. (Adjective – trademarked)
- The proprietary of the land was granted by the king. (Noun – historical ownership)
Synonyms
Exclusive, private, patented, restricted, owned
Related Words
Trademarked, controlled, protected, confidential
Antonyms
Public, open-source, non-exclusive, unrestricted
