secondary meaning. Intellectual property. A special sense that a trademark or tradename for a business, goods, or services has acquired even though the trademark or tradename was not originally protectable. • The term does not refer to a subordinate or rare meaning, but rather to a later meaning that has been added to the original one borne by the mark or name and that has now become in the market its usual and primary meaning.
— Also termed special meaning; trade meaning. [Cases: Trade Regulation 478. C.J.S. Trade-Marks, Trade-Names, and Unfair Competition §§ 101–102, 118.]
“Secondary meaning is association, nothing more. It exists only in the minds of those of the public who have seen or known or have heard of a brand of goods by some name or sign and have associated the two in their minds.” Harry D. Nims, The Law of Unfair Competition and Trade-Marks 105 (1929).
译员张宏，知名法学院法律翻译专业，专注翻译各种与
调查与白领犯罪辩护有关的法律文件。
