chattel

noun

chat·​tel ˈcha-tᵊl 

plural chattels

1

: an item of tangible movable or immovable property except real estate and things (such as buildings) connected with real property

These statutes do not apply to personal property; for chattels, an oral statement of donative intent plus delivery still suffices.

—William M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

—sometimes used as a mass noun

The program takes advantage of a New Hampshire law that requires all manufactured homes … to be titled as real property instead of chattel, said Patrick McCarthy, Fannie Mae vice president for community lending.

—Brad Finkelstein

2

: an enslaved person held as the legal property of another : bondman

He had struck down my personality, had subjected me to his will, made property of my body and soul, reduced me to a chattel …

—Frederick Douglass

Some, most notably the Quakers, hoped that moral suasion would convince slaveholders to free their chattels.

—Mary Beth Norton et al.

—often used as a mass noun

… [George] Washington is tainted by our country's original sin: slavery. He owned other human beings as chattel.

—Robert Schlesinger

Ultimately, the book illuminates both the tragedy of holding human chattel and the corruption that flows from such inhumanity.

—Melba Newsome

see also chattel slavery

Synonyms

• bondman
• bondsman
• slave
• thrall

Examples of chattel in a Sentence

an amendment to end the keeping of humans as chattel

packed up all her chattels and moved to a new state

Recent Examples on the Web

This led to the development of a particular type of housing structure known as chattel houses in countries such as Barbados. —Farah Nibbs, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024

According to a jury verdict form dated Sept. 19, 2024, Campus Advantage was found liable for the conversion of chattels of Postell's property and for breach of contract with Postell. —Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024

Bottles are taxed under the more generous capital gains tax regime for chattels, while casks are widely considered a wasting asset and are currently entirely free from capital gains tax. —Mark Littler, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024

In addition to the count for injunctive relief — which was filed against all the defendants — counts of conversion, trespass to chattel and battery were filed against Belanski. —Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chatel "movable possession," often in plural chateles, chateus, borrowed from Anglo-French chatel "property, goods, wealth" (also continental Old French), going back to Medieval Latin capitāle "movable property, riches," noun derivative from neuter of capitālis "of the head, chief, principal" — more at capital entry 1

Note: Compare cattle, and see also note at the etymology of capital entry 2.

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chattel

• chattel slavery

Kids Definition

chattel

noun

chat·​tel ˈchat-ᵊl 

1

: a piece of property (as animals, money, or goods) other than real estate

2

: an enslaved person held as the legal property of another

Legal Definition

chattel

noun

chat·​tel ˈchat-ᵊl 

: an item of tangible or intangible personal property

especially : chattel personal in this entry

Note: In some jurisdictions the term chattel is restricted to items of tangible and movable personal property. Other jurisdictions also classify intangible assets and property items as chattels.

— chattel personal plural chattels personal

: an item of tangible movable personal property (as livestock or an automobile) that is not permanently connected with real estate

— chattel real plural chattels real

: an interest (as a leasehold or profit a prendre) in an item of immovable property (as land or a building) that is less than a freehold estate compare fixture

Note: Interests that are considered chattels real have been treated by the common law as personal property despite being interests in real property.

Etymology

Old French chatel goods, property, from Medieval Latin capitale, from neuter of capitalis chief, principal see capital