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 (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

Its efforts include a proposed ballot measure that would bar retroactive taxes, as well as banning new taxes on personal property, including retirement savings, stocks, bonds and intellectual property.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

Lenders don’t offer conventional loans for manufactured homes because structures that aren’t affixed to land are considered personal property, not real estate.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 31, 2025

The family would receive $900,000 to rebuild, $360,000 for personal property, $140,000 for loss of use and $380,000 for pain and suffering.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2025

Liquidators are also exploring whether they can recover cash for creditors from Mr Hui's personal property.

From BBC • Aug. 24, 2025

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