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

Example Sentences

One of the Brin-backed measures would bar new taxes on personal property, including retirement accounts, intellectual property and financial assets, excluding real estate.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Throughout most of U.S. history, presidential records have been treated as the president’s personal property.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026

Whether or not this is personal property, it still technically falls under probate given that it’s solely in the decedent’s name without a transfer-on-death deed.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 6, 2026

While it’s usually applied when the federal government exercises eminent domain and takes title to land, the takings clause also covers the government’s outright destruction of personal property.

From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026

Frear and Wood hurried away as quickly as possible, weaving around the piles of personal property abandoned in the road.

From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy