在专利、工业设计和商标法律中，优先权是指一项由第一次申请专利、工业设计或商标触发的，有时间限制的权利。优先权属于申请人或其继承者，并允许他就同样的发明、设计或商标提交一件在后申请，而且使该在后申请在某些要求的审查中从第一次申请的申请日开始计算，从而获得一定权益。当提交在后申请的时候，申请人应当“要求第一次申请的优先权”，从而可以利用该优先权。

优先权的期限，也就是优先权存在的时间，对于工业设计和商标来说通常是6个月，而对于专利和实用新型来说通常是12个月。对于专利和实用新型来说，优先权的期限也往往被称为“优先年”。

In patent, industrial design rights and trademark laws, a priority right or right of priority is a time-limited right, triggered by the first filing of an application for a patent, an industrial design or a trademark respectively. The priority right allows the claimant to file a subsequent application in another country for the same invention, design, or trademark effective as of the date of filing the first application. When filing the subsequent application, the applicant must claim the priority of the first application in order to make use of the right of priority. The right of priority belongs to the applicant or his successor in title.