sui generis
sui generis (s[y]oo-Iorsoo-ee jen-[schwa]-ris). [Latin “of its own kind”] Of its own kind or class; unique or peculiar. • The term is used in intellectual-property law to describe a regime designed to protect rights that fall outside the traditional patent, trademark, copyright, and trade-secret doctrines. For example, a database may not be protected by copyright law if its content is not original, but it could be protected by a sui generis statute designed for that purpose.