1. relating to or belonging to a particular owner; privately owned
2. protected by trademark or patent; available only from a particular company
Usage: business; legal
3. showing an attitude of ownership or possessiveness

1. a product or service that is owned and controlled by a particular company
Usage: business

Examples

• The company’s proprietary software cannot be copied or modified by competitors.
• She felt proprietary about the garden she had planted and maintained for years.
• The restaurant uses a proprietary blend of spices in their signature sauce.
• His proprietary attitude toward the project made it difficult for others to contribute.
• The pharmaceutical company developed a new proprietary drug for treating diabetes.
• The proprietary information must be kept confidential under the terms of the contract.
• Many tech companies rely on proprietary algorithms to maintain their competitive advantage.