proprietary
owned and controlled by one company
Owned and controlled by one person or company, so other people cannot freely use or copy it.
proprietary [software/technology/information/system/formula]
- The company built its platform on proprietary software that it developed in-house.
- Our client claims that the design contains proprietary technology that competitors copied without permission.
- Employees must sign an agreement not to share proprietary information with outside parties.
- The drink’s unique taste comes from a proprietary formula that the brand keeps secret.
- This database includes proprietary data that cannot be distributed publicly.
- The app uses proprietary software from a big tech company.
- Please do not send this proprietary information to anyone outside the team.
- They protect their proprietary data with strong passwords.
- The phone runs on a proprietary system that only this company makes.
relating to ownership rights
About the legal rights that an owner has in land, a business, or other property.
proprietary [rights/interest/trading/capacity]
- The author retains all proprietary rights to the material, including the right to reproduce and distribute it.
- Shareholders with a proprietary interest in the company will vote on the proposed merger.
- The bank engages in proprietary trading, using its own money rather than clients’ funds.
- The agreement sets out the proprietary rights of the software licensor and the licensee.
- He has a proprietary interest in the business because he owns shares.
- The contract explains her proprietary rights to the house.
- The bank made a profit from proprietary trading with its own money.
owner of property or land (historical)
An owner of land or other property, especially in older historical use.
a proprietary of [land/colony/estate]
- The charter granted sweeping powers to the lords proprietary of the colony.
- As proprietary of the estate, he controlled all the land and the rents it produced.
- Under the old system, the proprietary could appoint local officials and judges.
- In the past, the proprietary of a colony had a lot of power.
- A proprietary owned the land and collected rent from farmers.
- Today we usually say 'proprietor' instead of 'proprietary' for an owner.
- Base: proprietary
- Base: proprietary
- Plural: proprietaries
proprietary information
1confidential information owned by a company
Business information that a company owns and keeps secret, and that others are not allowed to use or share.
- Employees must not disclose any proprietary information to competitors.
- The report treats customer data as proprietary information that requires strict protection.
proprietary interest
1ownership stake in something
A person’s legal or financial share in something that they partly or fully own.
- Board members must disclose any proprietary interest they have in the transaction.
- She has a proprietary interest in the firm because she holds equity in it.
proprietary rights
1legal rights of ownership
The legal rights that a person or company has because they own something, like land, a brand, or a work of art.
- The licensee does not acquire any proprietary rights in the trademark.
- Authors have proprietary rights over how their work is used and distributed.
proprietary software
1software owned and restricted by a company
Software that belongs to a company and that other people cannot freely copy, change, or share.
- The system runs on proprietary software that only the vendor can modify.
- Many users prefer open-source tools to proprietary software because they have more control.
proprietary technology
1company-owned exclusive technology
Technology that a company owns and controls, which other companies cannot easily copy or use.
- Their proprietary technology gives them a strong advantage in the market.
- The startup hopes to license its proprietary technology to larger manufacturers.
proprietary trading
1a bank trading with its own funds
When a bank or financial company buys and sells financial products using its own money, not its customers’ money, to make profit.
- Regulators placed new limits on proprietary trading after the financial crisis.
- The firm shut down its proprietary trading desk to focus on client business.