Proprietary
prəˈpraɪəˌtɛri
Definitions
Relating to an owner or ownership; constituting property; exclusively owned or controlled.
prəˈpraɪəˌtɛri
Relating to an owner or ownership
The company's algorithms are considered proprietary and are not shared with competitors.
💡 Simply: When something is proprietary, it means it's owned by someone and they get to decide who uses it. Like, a secret recipe for a really yummy cake can be proprietary, and only the baker knows it!
👶 For kids: It's like something that belongs to one person or company and no one else is allowed to use it or see how it works!
More Examples
The design of the new device is proprietary, protecting their intellectual property.
Many pharmaceutical companies develop proprietary drugs.
How It's Used
"The company has a proprietary technology that gives it a competitive advantage."
"The software is proprietary, and its source code is not available to the public."
Idioms & expressions
proprietary information
Information that is owned by a company and is not shared with the public or competitors.
"Employees are required to sign agreements to protect the company's proprietary information."
proprietary software
Software that is owned by an individual or company, which is usually licensed to users, and whose source code is not openly available.
"Microsoft Office is an example of proprietary software."
From Middle French *propriétaire* (owner), from Latin *proprius* (one's own). The suffix '-ary' indicates 'relating to or belonging to'.
The word's usage has evolved from denoting ownership in general to specifically referencing the protection of intellectual property and exclusive business assets in modern times. It appears frequently in legal and business contexts from the 19th century onwards.
Memory tip
Think of a private property, something you 'own' completely.
Word Origin
"belonging to"