prior art
noun
patent law
: knowledge that is publicly available (as from the description in an already existing patent, from publications, or from public use or sale) before the date of filing a claim for a patent for an invention
a finding by the judge that there was no advancement of design in the new invention over the prior art
Cite this Entry
“Prior art.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior%20art. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.
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