LETTERS PATENT Definition & Meaning

letters patent

plural noun

Law.

a written or printed instrument issued by a sovereign power, conferring upon a patentee some right, as the exclusive right to land or the exclusive right to make, use, and sell an invention for a limited time.

letters patent

plural noun

See patent

Discover More

�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of letters patent¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The earliest known reference to "the Usher to the Order of the Garter" is in letters patent - a written order from a monarch granting an office, right or title to an individual - from 1361.

From

On Wednesday, the parchment letters patent were presented to the mayor Tim Young.

From

Prince Charles will visit Southend later to present a letters patent to grant the town city status.

From

On 5 June 1925 King George V visited Stoke-on-Trent gave it the status of city by royal letters patent, she said.

From

To alter this, the queen issued a “letters patent” in 2012 so that Prince William and his wife, Catherine — aka the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — could name all their children princes or princesses.

From

Browse