DEFINITION of 'Patent'. A government license that gives the holder exclusive rights to a process, design or new invention for a designated period of time. Applications for patents are usually handled by a government agency. In the U.S. the United States Patent and Trademark Office handles application and documentation. Next Up.
Definition of attendant - a person employed to provide a service to the public in a particular place, a person who is present on a particular occasion Definition of attendant - a person employed to provide a service to the public in a particular place, a person who is present on a particular occasion dictionary thesaurus
The word attendant has to do with being present. An attendant on a flight is present to help you if you need anything. An attendant event is one that happens in the presence of another event. In other words, it can mean accompanying. An illness can have attendant symptoms that go along with it. Remember that the word ends in -ant.