proprietary — relating to an owner or ownership; belonging exclusively to a particular company
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: relating to an owner or ownership; belonging exclusively to a particular company
Pronunciation (IPA): /prəˈpraɪəteri/
Example Sentences
- The CEO became very proprietary about the office donuts after finding out they were free.
- Our company's proprietary algorithm can predict which employees will eat the last slice of pizza.
- The pharmaceutical company protects its proprietary drug formulas with strict security measures.
proprietary
ADJECTIVE[/prəˈpraɪəteri/]
relating to an owner or ownership; belonging exclusively to a particular company

A proprietary technology vault protected by exclusive ownership rights

Proprietary and legendary, a sanctuary for distinction — dictionary of ownership, where boundaries define true value
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'proprietarius' meaning 'owner', derived from 'proprietas' (property, ownership). The word entered English through Old French and has been used since the 17th century to describe things relating to ownership or exclusive rights.
Breakdown
propri- (Latin root meaning 'one's own, property') + -et- (connecting element) + -ary (suffix meaning 'relating to, characterized by') = proprietary
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The CEO became very proprietary about the office donuts after finding out they were free.”
“Our company's proprietary algorithm can predict which employees will eat the last slice of pizza.”
“The pharmaceutical company protects its proprietary drug formulas with strict security measures.”
“She felt proprietary about her parking spot even though it wasn't assigned to her.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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