Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Late Latin
Origin: proprietarius, from Latin proprietas; PROPERTY

proprietary

 adjective
     
Related topics: Companies, Trade
pro‧pri‧e‧ta‧ry formal
1BBT especially British English a proprietary product is one that is sold under a trade name [≠ generic]:
a proprietary brand of insecticide
proprietary software products
2BBC relating to who owns something:
They have proprietary rights to the data.
He has no proprietary interest in the farm (=he does not own any part of it).
3 proprietary behaviour makes it seem that you think you own something or someone
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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