Definition of the word proprietary

The word "proprietary" has its roots in Latin. It comes from the words "proprius," meaning "one's own," and "arius," meaning "quality" or "condition." In English, the word "proprietary" was first used in the 15th century to describe something that belonged to or was characteristic of an individual or company, rather than being public or open to everyone. Over time, the meaning of "proprietary" expanded to include the idea of something being exclusive or private, especially in the context of business or science. A proprietary product or technology is one that is owned or controlled by a particular company or individual, and may not be freely available or shared with others. Today, the word is commonly used in fields such as technology, medicine, and intellectual property law to describe exclusive or patented information.