property

[ prop-er-tee ]

/ ˈprɒp ər ti /

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See synonyms for: property / properties on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural prop·er·ties.

that which a person owns; the possession or possessions of a particular owner: They lost all their property in the fire.

goods, land, etc., considered as possessions: The corporation is a means for the common ownership of property.

a piece of land or real estate: property on Main Street.

ownership; right of possession, enjoyment, or disposal of anything, especially of something tangible: to have property in land.

something at the disposal of a person, a group of persons, or the community or public: The secret of the invention became common property.

an essential or distinctive attribute or quality of a thing: the chemical and physical properties of an element.

Logic.

any attribute or characteristic.
(in Aristotelian logic) an attribute not essential to a species but always connected with it and with it alone.

Also called prop. a usually movable item, other than costumes or scenery, used on the set of a theater production, motion picture, etc.; any object handled or used by an actor in a performance.

a written work, play, movie, etc., bought or optioned for commercial production or distribution.

a person, especially one under contract in entertainment or sports, regarded as having commercial value: an actor who was a hot property at the time.

OTHER WORDS FOR property

1 belongings.

3 acreage.

6 feature.

See synonyms for property on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of property

1275–1325; Middle English proprete possession, attribute, what is one's own, equivalent to propreproper + -te-ty². See propriety

synonym study for property

1. Property, chattels, effects, estate, goods refer to what is owned. Property is the general word: She owns a great deal of property. He said that the umbrella was his property. Chattels is a term for pieces of personal property or movable possessions; it may be applied to livestock, automobiles, etc.: a mortgage on chattels. Effects is a term for any form of personal property, including even things of the least value: All his effects were insured against fire. Estate refers to property of any kind that has been, or is capable of being, handed down to descendants or otherwise disposed of in a will: He left most of his estate to his niece. It may consist of personal estate (money, valuables, securities, chattels, etc.), or real estate (land and buildings). Goods refers to household possessions or other movable property, especially that comprising the stock in trade of a business: The store arranged its goods on shelves. 6. See quality.

OTHER WORDS FROM property

prop·er·ty·less, noun

Words nearby property

proper noun, propertied, properties, proper time, Propertius, property, property bond, property centre, property damage insurance, property man, property right

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use property in a sentence

SEOs have been complaining for years that Google is taking up ever more SERP real estate with their own properties and money-makers.
Is Google moving toward being search marketing’s point of singularity: Thursday’s daily brief|Carolyn Lyden|February 11, 2021|Search Engine Land
Several San Diego City Council members have expressed interest in a new tax that would pay for more low-income housing by charging property owners who leave their homes vacant.
Morning Report: Vacancy Tax Déjà Vu|Voice of San Diego|February 11, 2021|Voice of San Diego
To make things worse, she had an accident while on my property and sued the company that owns the development.
I can’t trust my new co-worker, and I have a list of reasons. How do I tell management?|Karla Miller|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
If some City Council members get their wish, San Diego will soon study whether it can pay for low-income housing by charging property owners who leave their homes vacant.
Vacancy Tax Study Is Giving City Officials Déjà Vu|Lisa Halverstadt and Andrew Keatts|February 10, 2021|Voice of San Diego

The team’s insight is that they could leverage these quantum properties to build a system similar to neurons and synapses in the brain.
This ‘Quantum Brain’ Would Mimic Our Own to Speed Up AI|Shelly Fan|February 9, 2021|Singularity Hub
Last week, property owners were beaten by security guards as they confronted a real-estate developer who defrauded them.
China’s Internet Is Freer Than You Think|Brendon Hong|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When the police showed up, it was the property owners who were arrested.
China’s Internet Is Freer Than You Think|Brendon Hong|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We employ inventory management to help solidify their property and make sure they have a better record of their possessions.
The Insane $11 Billion Scam at Retailers’ Return Desks|M.L. Nestel|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The twin entrepreneurs and stars of HGTV's Property Brothers will be taking your questions live on Tuesday, December 16 at 2pm.
Live Q&A: Drew and Jonathan Scott|The Daily Beast|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shadman transferred millions to banks outside Afghanistan in 2013 to buy property to open a business in Dubai, according to Banes.
Special Forces’ $77M ‘Hustler’ Hits Back|Kevin Maurer|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The old earl's property, the source of his wealth, as from his title the reader will have shrewdly guessed, was in collieries.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
But one thing remained for Felipe now, If Ramona lived, he would find her, and restore to her this her rightful property.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
He used to walk through the park, and note with pleasure the care that his father bestowed on the gigantic property.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
The “Compañia General de Tabacos” lost about ₱30,000 in cash in addition to the damage done to their offices and property.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
For example, there is a vast discussion afoot upon the questions that centre upon Property, its rights and its limitations.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

British Dictionary definitions for property

property

/ (ˈprɒpətɪ) /

noun plural -ties

something of value, either tangible, such as land, or intangible, such as patents, copyrights, etc

law the right to possess, use, and dispose of anything

possessions collectively or the fact of owning possessions of value

a piece of land or real estate, esp used for agricultural purposes
(as modifier)property rights

mainly Australian a ranch or station, esp a small one

a quality, attribute, or distinctive feature of anything, esp a characteristic attribute such as the density or strength of a material

logic obsolete another name for proprium

any movable object used on the set of a stage play or filmUsually shortened to: prop

Word Origin for property

C13: from Old French propriété, from Latin proprietās something personal, from proprius one's own

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

property

OTHER WORDS FOR property

Origin of property

synonym study for property

OTHER WORDS FROM property

Words nearby property

Words related to property

How to use property in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for property

Word Origin for property