Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

patent trolling

/ˈpætənt ˌtɹoʊlɪŋ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.37 in modern English

Syllables
pat-ent troll-ing
IPA
/ˈpætənt ˌtɹoʊlɪŋ/
17
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
3
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The practice of owning and enforcing patents in an aggressive and opportunistic manner, often with no intention of marketing or promoting the subjects of the patents.

Derogatory; Informal; Uncountable

Etymology

From patent troll, which is derived from patent + troll (“in folklore, a grotesque humanoid creature living in caves or hills, or under bridges”), a reference to trolls in folktales who block the path of travellers or threaten to harm them unless some payment is made.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈpætənt ˌtɹoʊlɪŋ/
  • British English: /ˈpætənt ˌtɹəʊlɪŋ/

Usage

Frequently Paired Words

copyright trolling trademark trolling

Questions

How do you pronounce patent trolling?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpætənt ˌtɹoʊlɪŋ/.
What does patent trolling mean?
The practice of owning and enforcing patents in an aggressive and opportunistic manner, often with no intention of marketing or promoting the subjects of the patents.
Where does patent trolling come from?
From patent troll, which is derived from patent + troll (“in folklore, a grotesque humanoid creature living in caves or hills, or under bridges”), a reference to trolls in folktales who block the path of travellers or threaten to harm them unless some payment is made.

How to pronounce patent trolling

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “patent trolling”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈpætənt ˌtɹoʊlɪŋ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “patent trolling”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “patent trolling” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.