Something proprietary is something exclusively owned by someone, often with connotations that it is exclusive and cannot be used by other parties without negotiations. It may specifically mean that something is covered by one or more patents, as in proprietary technology. It can also mean that the copyright is used in a way that restricts the users' freedoms.

Increasingly, proprietary architectures are seen as a disadvantage. Consumers prefer standardized and open architectures, which allow them to mix and match products from different manufacturers.

Etymology

The word proprietary comes from the French proprietaire, from the Latin proprietarius. Compare with the Latin proprietas, property, and proprius, owned.

Proprietary software

Proprietary software is a kind of software where end-users do not have the freedom to control what it does and study or edit the source code. This is definition has been popularised by Richard Stallman, who is the leading figure in the promotion of free software projects such as GNU.

Proprietary software, or non-free software is currently the most globalized industry. For example Microsoft and Windows which dominate their markets around the world.