proprietary
/prəˈpraɪətri/ (bre, ipa) · /prəˈpraɪəteri/ (ame, ipa) · /prə-ˈprī-ə-ˌter-ē/ (ame, mw)
proprietary — 形容詞
- proprietarypositive
- more proprietarycomparative
- most proprietarysuperlative
1. relating to the state of owning something, or showing the attitude or behaviour
所有權的
與擁有或擁有者相關的
relating to the state of owning something, or showing the attitude or behaviour typical of an owner.
The lawyer explained the proprietary rights that the artist holds over her original paintings.
律師解釋了藝術家對她原創畫作所擁有的專有權利。
collocation: proprietary rights
Nicholas felt proprietary pride as he walked through the warehouse he had founded.
Nicholas 懷著身為所有者的自豪感，走過自己創立的倉庫。
collocation: proprietary pride
Each partner signed a document outlining their proprietary interest in the firm's assets.
每位合夥人都簽署了一份文件，載明他們對公司資產的所有權權益。
Noor glanced around the office with a proprietary air, as if it belonged to her.
Noor 以所有者的神情環顧辦公室，彷彿整棟大樓屬於她。
The family business was sold, but the founders felt a proprietary attachment to it.
那間家族企業雖然賣掉了，但創辦人仍對它懷有所有人的歸屬感。
- ownership-related
less formal; used in plain business contexts
- possessory
legal term, narrower and more technical
常見錯誤
2. describes a product, design, or information item that a particular company creat
專有的
由特定公司獨家生產並擁有法律保護的
describes a product, design, or information item that a particular company creates and distributes while holding exclusive legal rights to it, such as a trademark, patent, or copyright.
The hospital uses a proprietary software system that only one company supplies and maintains.
這家醫院使用一套專有軟體系統，只有一家公司提供和維護。
collocation: proprietary software
Hyun refused to share the proprietary formula for the sauce, calling it a trade secret.
Hyun 拒絕透露醬料的獨家配方，稱其為商業機密。
collocation: proprietary formula / trade secret
The mechanic needed a proprietary tool that only the machine's maker sold.
技師需要一件專用工具，只有機器製造商才販售。
Lakshmi signed a non-disclosure agreement to protect her employer's proprietary data.
Lakshmi 簽署了一份保密協議，以保護她雇主的專有資料。
This phone runs a proprietary system that does not work with third-party apps.
這支手機運行一套專有系統，無法安裝第三方應用程式。
- patented
narrower — only refers to inventions protected by a patent
- trademarked
narrower — only refers to names and logos protected by a trademark
- exclusive
broader — can refer to any right held by one party, not necessarily legally protected
- open-source
software whose code is publicly available and can be modified by anyone
- public-domain
creative works free for anyone to use, not protected by copyright
用法筆記
Often collocates with nouns related to technology and intellectual property: software, system, technology, formula, data, code, design, protocol. Frequently appears in business and legal contexts.
常見錯誤
proprietary — 名詞
1. a person or company that has the sole legal authority to own or control somethin
權利人
擁有專利或商標所有權的人
a person or company that has the sole legal authority to own or control something, for example a patent, trademark, or piece of property.
Dr. Camila Osei, the patent's proprietary, receives a royalty on each unit sold.
Camila Osei 醫師身為該專利的權利人，每件售出的產品都可獲得權利金。
collocation: proprietary of the patent
The trademark's proprietary sued the chain that used the logo without permission.
該商標的權利人對未經許可使用其標誌的連鎖店提起訴訟。
The startup's sale gave the proprietary of its code a large payout.
那間新創公司出售後，其軟體碼的權利人拿到了一大筆報酬。
A court must determine who the true proprietary of the disputed land is.
法院必須判定誰才是這塊有爭議土地的真正權利人。
The proprietary of the copyright can grant permission for others to print the book.
版權的權利人可以授權他人印行這本書。
- proprietor
far more common; the everyday word for the owner of a business or property
- owner
general term; does not carry the specific legal-exclusivity nuance
- rights-holder
modern legal usage, especially in intellectual property contexts
用法筆記
Very rare in modern English; the more common word for this sense is 'proprietor' or 'owner'. You may encounter it in formal legal documents.
2. a product or invention that is made, used, or sold under the exclusive legal rig
專利產品
受專利或商標保護的產品
a product or invention that is made, used, or sold under the exclusive legal right held by its creator or manufacturer.
The chef's spice blend is a proprietary she keeps locked in a safe.
主廚的香料混合物是一件鎖在保險箱裡的專利產品。
proprietary as countable noun for a protected product
Tunde registered the engine design as a proprietary to stop rivals from copying it.
Tunde 將引擎設計註冊為專利產品，以防止競爭對手抄襲。
The company treats its customer database as a proprietary and guards it closely.
該公司將客戶資料庫視為專利產品，嚴密保護。
Each pharmaceutical firm files its drug formula as a proprietary before starting clinical trials.
每家藥廠在進行臨床試驗前，都會將藥物配方申請為專利產品。
The app's recommendation algorithm is a proprietary that the startup never reveals publicly.
這款應用程式的推薦演算法是專利產品，新創公司從未對外公開。
- patented product
more common; specifies that the item is protected by a patent
- branded product
broader; refers to any product sold under a brand name, not necessarily legally exclusive
用法筆記
This countable noun usage is uncommon. In everyday English, speakers use the phrase 'proprietary product' or 'proprietary item' rather than the bare noun form.
3. a business that is secretly owned by an intelligence organization and used to hi
掩護企業
情報機構秘密擁有的掩護公司
a business that is secretly owned by an intelligence organization and used to hide its spying operations from the public.
The agency ran a travel firm in the capital as a proprietary for gathering intelligence.
該機構在首都經營一家旅行社，作為蒐集情報的掩護企業。
intelligence context: run a business as a proprietary
The import-export firm was actually a proprietary operated by foreign intelligence officers.
那家進出口公司實際上是外國情報人員操控的掩護企業。
The CIA maintained a chain of laundromats as proprietaries during the Cold War.
冷戰期間，中情局曾以連鎖洗衣店作為掩護企業。
Agents posing as farmers ran the rural supply store as a proprietary for twenty years.
偽裝成農民的探員以這間鄉村用品店為掩護企業，經營了二十年。
The newspaper was exposed as a proprietary owned by the country's military intelligence unit.
那家報社被揭露是該國軍事情報單位擁有的掩護企業。
- front company
much more common; can refer to any business used as a cover, not only for intelligence work
- shell company
a company that exists only on paper, often used to hide the true owner
用法筆記
This sense is almost exclusively used in the context of intelligence and spy agencies. Outside of that field it is unknown to most English speakers.