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property
/ˈprɒp.ər.ti/
something owned or possessed
The house is his most valuable property.
The house is his most valuable possession.
general
a thing or things belonging to someone
She inherited several properties from her grandparents.
She received several possessions from her grandparents.
Can refer to physical assets like land, buildings, or personal belongings.
general
a characteristic or quality of something
The property of water that makes it wet is its molecular structure.
The characteristic of water that makes it wet is its molecular structure.
Used in scientific or technical contexts to describe attributes.
BusinessFinance
real estate or land and buildings
The company owns commercial property in the city center.
The company owns commercial real estate in the city center.
Common in business and legal contexts.
Collocations
real propertyland and buildingsintellectual propertycreations of the mind, like patents or copyrightsprivate propertysomething owned by an individual or entity
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Legal vs. General Use
In legal contexts, 'property' often refers to real estate, while in general use, it can mean any possession.
Gold Rule
Ownership Context
When referring to ownership, 'property' is often used in formal or legal contexts.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'properte,' from Old French 'propreté,' from Latin 'proprietas,' meaning 'ownership, peculiarity,' from 'proprius' (one's own).
Usage Notes
In legal contexts, 'property' can refer to both tangible (physical) and intangible (like intellectual property) assets.
Word Breakdown
propri-
own
root-ety
state or condition
suffixEnglish Dictionary