letters patent

plural noun

, Law.

1. a written or printed instrument issued by a sovereign power, conferring upon a patentee some right, as the exclusive right to land or the exclusive right to make, use, and sell an invention for a limited time.

letters patent

plural noun

1. See patent

Word History and Origins

Origin of letters patent¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

The earliest known reference to "the Usher to the Order of the Garter" is in letters patent - a written order from a monarch granting an office, right or title to an individual - from 1361.

From BBC

On Wednesday, the parchment letters patent were presented to the mayor Tim Young.

From BBC

Prince Charles will visit Southend later to present a letters patent to grant the town city status.

From BBC

On 5 June 1925 King George V visited Stoke-on-Trent gave it the status of city by royal letters patent, she said.

From BBC

To alter this, the queen issued a “letters patent” in 2012 so that Prince William and his wife, Catherine — aka the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — could name all their children princes or princesses.

From Los Angeles Times