Trade mark

trade mark: a symbol, most commonly used in conjunction with goods or services, that distinguishes those goods or services as those of a particular trader; trade marks can be words, figures or a combination of these; trade marks can be registered – applications to trademark a name, ie. register a trade mark, are made to the Intellectual Property Office (for a UK trade mark) and to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (for an EU trade mark); or trade makes can be unregistered and the owner of goodwill in an unregistered trade mark will have certain rights with respect to the mark notwithstanding lack of registration and will be able to sue for passing off if certain factual requirements are met.