intellectual property

noun

plural intellectual properties

: property (such as a concept, idea, invention, or work) that derives from the effort of the mind or intellect

… Netflix is home to several popular intellectual properties like "Squid Game", "Power Rangers", and the 1980s sci-fi horror hit "Stranger Things".—Danni Button

also : a right or registration (such as a patent, trademark, trade secret, or copyright) relating to or protecting this property

In a number of cases, tech companies have infringed on the intellectual property of smaller rivals, who have sued in court. —The Boston Herald

called also IP

Examples of intellectual property in a Sentence

Any song that you write is your intellectual property.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The deployment of intellectual property predates the formation of XP. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2026 Strong intellectual property protections give authors and inventors the ability to turn their ideas into assets, their assets into competitive businesses, and their businesses into new jobs. — Coke Morgan Stewart, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026 Cyberattacks Anthropic warned that hackers could gain unauthorized access to the company's proprietary data, including information about its finances, models and other intellectual property, as well as users' personal data. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 The league announced agreements Monday morning with Kalshi and Polymarket that will allow the companies to use official league data and intellectual property and give the league control over what trades the companies are allowed to offer. — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for intellectual property

Word History

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of intellectual property was in 1769

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Browse Nearby Words

intellectualness

intellectual property

intellectual virtue

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Intellectual property.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual%20property. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

intellectual property

noun

: property (as an idea, method, or written work) that derives from the work of the mind

Legal Definition

intellectual property

intellectual property

noun

Examples of intellectual property in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition

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