personal property

American  

noun

Law.

1. an estate or property consisting of movable articles both corporeal, as furniture or jewelry, or incorporeal, as stocks or bonds (distinguished from real property).

   Synonyms:

   effects, chattel

---

personal property British  

noun

1. Also called: personalty. law movable property, such as furniture or money Compare real property

---

personal property Cultural  

1. Furniture, automobiles, boats, and other possessions that are not included in the category of real property.

---

Etymology

Origin of personal property

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

personal property

Luxury car buyers in California and other states wanting their fancy ride for less money are registering their vehicles in Montana, which has no sales or personal property tax.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

In the case of the theft statute, it is easy to imagine the legislators’ anticipating that new forms of personal property would come into use and would merit the same protection as older items.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

“I’m wondering, have you ever planned on deeding any of your personal property or property of the Smithsonian to any of these tribes?” he asked Hartig.

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026

The founder of Evergrande, the property giant at the centre of China's housing market slump, has been sentenced to life in prison and had all of his personal property confiscated.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

At this time molecular work on DNA in England was, for all practical purposes, the personal property of Maurice Wilkins, a bachelor who worked in London at King’s College.*

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson