realty
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of realty
First recorded in 1400–50, realty is from the late Middle English word realte. See real 1, -ty 2
Compare meaning
How does realty compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
The noun realty is another way to talk about real estate or property. If you want to sell or buy a house, it's a good idea to hire a realty agent to help you do it. Buildings, houses, and condominiums are all realty; they're not just places to live, work, or store things, but they're property that belongs to someone. The word realty was first used in the 17th century, from real. Earlier, the term "real property" was a legal term meaning "immovable property," or permanent structures and land that could be bought and sold.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company also announced Thursday a deal for 10 megawatts of computing power with American data centre operator Digital Realty.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the property—which sits on nearly two acres of lush land—is listed with Jon Grauman of Resident Group and Ernie Carswell of Sotheby’s International Realty.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Mortgage giant Rocket agreed to buy Redfin in March 2025, followed by Compass striking a deal to acquire Anywhere Real Estate, the parent company of brands including Sotheby’s International Realty and Coldwell Banker, in September.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
Four REITs, including Realty Income, surpass the 10-year Treasury yield of 4.3%.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
I say I want to be picked up in front of Century 21 Premier Realty on the corner of Truxton and A Street.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
