ownership
Americannoun
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the state or fact of being an owner
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legal right of possession; proprietorship
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ownership
Explanation
Ownership is the state of owning something. Anything that people own or possess gives them the quality of ownership. Wars are often fought over the ownership of land. When you buy a book, you own it. Add the suffix ship to owner, and now you have ownership of that lovely book. If you buy a house, you have ownership of it. Politicians like to talk about the “American dream of home ownership.” If you buy a lottery ticket, you have ownership of that, too. If you win big, you’ll have ownership of lots of cash and then you, too can realize that American dream.
Vocabulary lists containing ownership
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ship
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"CLEP Financial Accounting," Vocabulary from Chapter 19
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-ship
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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.
Questions about its finances — let alone about its ownership — were swept under the rug.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
As well as taking back ownership of recruiting locally and in the West.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
A minimum of a 10% ownership stake will also be offered for purchase to indigenous groups.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Canada and Alberta will hold equal ownership of the Pacific Link pipeline, with Pembina Pipeline holding a 10% interest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
“Oh, I am not so sure about the handkerchief. You remember, I always told you that there were two possibilities as to the ownership of the handkerchief.”
From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
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.
