proprietary

The word “proprietary” means owned exclusively by a company or individual, often protected by patent, trademark, or trade secret. In plain terms, privately owned and controlled — often used for software, technology, or formulas that only one company can use or sell.

“Proprietary” is pronounced pruh-PREYE-uh-tuh-ree (/pɹəˈpɹaɪ.əˌtɛɹ.i/ in IPA).

Here is “proprietary” used in a sentence: “The software uses a proprietary file format that competitors can't open.”

“Proprietary” is an adjective.

The word “proprietary” comes from Latin. From French propriétaire, from Latin proprietarius, related to proprietas ("property, ownership").

“Proprietary” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.

“Proprietary” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: owned exclusively by a company or individual, often protected by patent, trademark, or trade secret.

Proprietary software is owned exclusively by a company or individual and is protected by patent, trademark, or trade secret, meaning its source code and usage rights are restricted. Open-source software, by contrast, has its code made publicly available for anyone to view, modify, and share.

Proprietary information refers to data, processes, or materials that a company owns exclusively and protects from competitors, often through trade secret or patent law. Sharing it without authorization can breach confidentiality agreements or intellectual property law.

Yes, "proprietary" can describe a sense of ownership or possessiveness someone shows over something, such as a person acting proprietary about an idea or relationship. This usage focuses on attitude rather than legal ownership.