letters patent
"Letters patent" are official documents issued by a sovereign or government authority to grant rights, titles, or privileges, and are typically open for public inspection.
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Definition
C1Legal
(formal, official)A formal document issued by a government or monarch granting specific rights, titles, or privileges to an individual or organization.
Example
- The king issued letters patent to grant the inventor exclusive rights to his new machine.
- The city was elevated to royal status through letters patent.
C1Government
(formal, official)An official document that publicly records the granting of a right or office, often used for appointments and titles.
Example
- The governor-general was appointed through letters patent.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "letters patent":