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

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personal property British  

noun

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

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personal property Cultural  

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

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Etymology

Origin of personal property

First recorded in 1830–40

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

personal property

“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

What’s more, you have roughly $1.5 million, including your house, which does not include the money you have in bank accounts, the value of your vehicles and/or other household or personal property.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

“If Trump’s public pronouncements are his own personal property, he can sell information about them or do whatever he likes with them,” observes business law expert Ann Lipton of the University of Colorado.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

This inmate had transferred a couple of weeks before to R-gallery from the Box, but they had not yet returned his personal property.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

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