proprietary

noun | \ prə-ˈprī-ə-ˌter-ē \ | pro·pri·e·tary

1. : something that is used, produced, or marketed under exclusive legal right of the inventor or maker; specifically : a drug (as a patent medicine) that is protected by secrecy, patent, or copyright against free competition as to name, product, composition, or process of manufacture : a drug (as a patent medicine) that is protected by secrecy, patent, or copyright against free competition as to name, product, composition, or process of manufacture

2. : a business secretly owned by and run as a cover for an intelligence operation

adjective

1. a : held as property of a private owner

   b : of, relating to, or characteristic of a proprietor proprietary rights

2. : used, made, or marketed by one having the exclusive legal right a proprietary process

3. : privately owned and managed and run as a profit-making organization a proprietary insurer a proprietary clinic

4. : of or relating to the acts of a municipality which profit or benefit the municipality and for which it is answerable in negligence