What does "patented" mean?

When something is described as “patented”, it means the invention has been officially granted patent protection by a patent office. The patent holder gains exclusive legal rights to make, use, sell, or license the invention for a limited time (usually 20 years).

“Patented” also implies that the invention:

• Was examined and approved by a patent authority
• Met the requirements of novelty, inventiveness, and industrial applicability
• Is now protected from unauthorized use by others
  

Only granted patents can be labeled as "patented", applications still under review are considered “pending.”