unpatented
/"+/ (ame, mw)
unpatented — adjective
- unpatentedpositive
- more unpatentedcomparative
- most unpatentedsuperlative
1. describes an invention, design, or piece of technology that does not have a pate
describes an invention, design, or piece of technology that does not have a patent — the official legal right that prevents other people from copying or selling it without permission from the creator.
The company's unpatented cleaning formula was quickly copied by several rival brands.
collocation: unpatented + product noun (formula, design, invention)
Beatriz chose to leave her medical invention unpatented so that clinics in poor countries could use it for free.
pattern: leave something unpatented + purpose clause
Astrid warned the team that publishing unpatented research could prevent them from filing a patent later.
Unlike its rivals, the startup relied on unpatented technology that anyone could license at no cost.
- unprotected
broader term — can refer to any lack of legal protection (copyright, trademark, or physical safety), not just patents
- unregistered
broader term — used for trademarks, designs, or any intellectual property not officially recorded
- patent-free
emphasises that no patent restrictions apply, often used in open-source or commons contexts
- patented
opposite — officially granted a patent
- proprietary
protected by intellectual property rights, not necessarily a patent but legally owned by a specific company
用法筆記
Common in business, technology, and legal contexts. Often contrasts with patented or patent-pending. A product can be deliberately left unpatented to keep the invention details secret (since patents require public disclosure).