the Patent and Trademark Office
/ðə ˌpeɪtnt ən ˈtreɪdmɑːk ɒfɪs/, /ðə ˌpætnt ən ˈtreɪdmɑːk ɒfɪs/
/ðə ˌpeɪtnt ən ˈtreɪdmɑːrk ɑːfɪs/, /ðə ˌpætnt ən ˈtreɪdmɑːrk ɑːfɪs/
(abbreviation USPTO)
- the US government department that is responsible for trademarks and patents (= official documents that give people the right to make, use or sell an invention, and stop other people from copying it). It is based in Virginia.
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the Patent and Trademark Office