Octrooit

Octrooit is the third-person singular present tense form of the Dutch verb octrooien, meaning to patent or to obtain a patent for an invention. It is used when the subject performs the action of securing exclusive rights to an invention in Dutch legal and business language. Een voorbeeldzin is: Het bedrijf octrooit een nieuwe uitvinding.

Etymology and form: The noun octrooi means patent, and the verb octrooien is derived from octrooi with standard Dutch verb conjugation. The suffix -t marks the third-person singular present, so octrooit literally means “he/she patents.” The root octrooi itself is historically linked to the French octroi, meaning grant or concession, a reflection of the patent concept as a government-granted right.

Usage and contexts: Octrooit appears in legal and corporate texts to describe the act of obtaining patent protection. It is commonly used in sentences like "Het bedrijf octrooit een nieuwe uitvinding" and in discussions of patent strategy, compliance, and licensing. Related terms include octrooiaanvraag (patent application), octrooibureau (patent office), and octrooien (the broader process of patenting).

Historical note: In Dutch history, octrooi originally referred to charters or privileges granted by authorities. Over time, the term evolved to denote patents for inventions. Today octrooi remains the standard noun for a patent, while octrooien denotes the act of patenting and related procedures.

See also: patent, patent law, Netherlands Patent Office, octrooiaanvraag, octrooibureau.