property

IPA/ˈprɒpəti/
KK[prˈɑpɚti]IPA/ˈprɑːpərti/

property — noun

  • propertysingular
  • propertiesplural

1. the things that a person or an organisation owns, especially physical items such

1.nounB1
Definition

the things that a person or an organisation owns, especially physical items such as money, furniture, clothes, or vehicles that can be moved from one place to another.

Example

When Gita moved abroad, she sold most of her personal property before the flight.

collocation: personal property

The insurance company asked Ryo to list every stolen item of property from his flat.

Common collocations
  • personal property
  • stolen property
  • lost property
  • private property
  • valuable property
Synonyms
  • belongings

    more personal and informal; usually refers to small items you carry with you

  • possessions

    nearly identical in meaning; slightly more formal than 'belongings' but less formal than 'property'

  • assets

    used in business or financial contexts; includes both physical and non-physical items of value

  • goods

    typically used in commercial or legal settings for items that are bought and sold

Antonyms
  • debts

    what you owe rather than what you own

Grammar Patterns

property + noun (property owner, property tax)

possessive + property

Usage Note

Uncountable when referring to the general concept of things you own (Her property was damaged in the flood). Countable in the plural form properties only when listing specific items or types of possession (The hotel keeps guests' properties in a secure room).

Common Mistakes

I need to take care of my proper.
I need to take care of my property.
'proper' is an adjective meaning correct or suitable; 'property' is the noun for things you own.

2. any structure built on land or any piece of ground that a person or company owns

2.nounB1
Definition

any structure built on land or any piece of ground that a person or company owns, together with whatever is attached to or standing on that land — for example, a house with its garden or an office block with its parking lot.

Example

Rachid invested his savings in a commercial property near the city centre.

collocation: commercial / residential / industrial property

The estate agent showed Dahlia several properties with three bedrooms and a garden.

Common collocations
  • commercial property
  • residential property
  • property prices
  • property market
  • buy property
  • rent property
  • own property
Synonyms
  • real estate

    the standard term in business and legal contexts; 'property' is more general and common in everyday speech

  • land

    refers only to the ground, not the buildings on it

  • premises

    a more formal term for a building and its surrounding land, used in legal or business contexts

  • estate

    a large area of land with a big house, or a collection of properties owned by one person

Grammar Patterns

[det] + property (a property / the property / properties)

property + noun (property market, property tax)

adjective + property (commercial / residential / industrial property)

Usage Note

Commonly used with types of use (commercial property, residential property, industrial property). In this sense, property always includes both the land and the buildings on it, not just the building alone.

Common Mistakes

She bought a property with three bedrooms in the suburb.' (technically correct but property includes land, not just the building)
She bought a house with three bedrooms in the suburb.
use 'house' or 'flat' when you mean the building only.

3. the power given by law to keep, control, or make use of something, especially la

3.nounB2
Definition

the power given by law to keep, control, or make use of something, especially land, buildings, or creative work — for example, the power to sell a house or to prevent others from copying your invention.

Example

Chiara retains intellectual property over her software designs for twenty years.

collocation: intellectual property

Under the contract, property of the vehicle passes to the buyer after full payment.

grammar: property of [something] passes / transfers

Common collocations
  • intellectual property
  • property rights
  • property law
  • property of
Synonyms
  • ownership

    the more common word for everyday use; 'property' in this sense is more technical and legal

  • title

    a formal legal term for the right of ownership, especially of land or vehicles

  • proprietorship

    a formal term for the state of being the owner of a business or asset

Antonyms
  • lease

    temporary right to use something without owning it

Grammar Patterns

property + noun (property rights, property law)

intellectual property

possession/demand/claim of + property

Usage Note

This sense is primarily legal and formal. In everyday conversation, 'ownership' is the more natural word. Use 'property' (this sense) when referring to the legal system of ownership rights, especially in phrases like 'intellectual property' or 'property rights'.

Common Mistakes

I have property of this bicycle.' (too formal for everyday speech)
This bicycle belongs to me.' or 'I own this bicycle.
'property' meaning ownership rights is used in legal or formal contexts, not for everyday possession.

4. a quality or a set of qualities that a substance, material, or object naturally

4.nounB2
Definition

a quality or a set of qualities that a substance, material, or object naturally has — for example, the ability of rubber to stretch or the ability of iron to attract a magnet.

Example

Allison studied the chemical properties of salt during her science class today.

collocation: chemical / physical / mechanical properties

One useful property of copper is that it conducts electricity and heat very well.

grammar: property of [material] + clause describing the quality

Common collocations
  • chemical properties
  • physical properties
  • mechanical properties
  • healing properties
  • medicinal properties
  • properties of
Synonyms
  • quality

    the most general and common word; 'quality' works in everyday contexts while 'property' tends toward technical use

  • characteristic

    a typical or noticeable feature that helps identify something; slightly more general than 'property'

  • attribute

    a quality regarded as a natural part of someone or something; used in both scientific and personal contexts

  • trait

    typically used for living things or personalities, less common for materials

Grammar Patterns

[adj] + property (chemical / physical / mechanical properties)

property of [noun]

have / possess / share + property

Usage Note

Most common in scientific and technical writing. In everyday conversation, 'quality' or 'feature' are more natural. When used in medicine or traditional remedies, often in the plural (healing properties, medicinal properties).

Common Mistakes

This plant has medical properties.
This plant has medicinal properties.
'medicinal' is the correct adjective form; 'medical' relates to the profession or treatment in general, not the curative quality of a substance.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to things that someone owns, but they differ in scope and formality. Property is the broadest and most formal term, covering anything you own — from a phone to a factory. Possessions is close in meaning but feels more personal, often used for items a person keeps with them. Belongings is the most informal and personal, usually limited to small, portable items like clothes, bags, or books. Assets is a financial or business term for anything of value that can be sold or used to generate income — it includes bank accounts and investments, not just physical objects. Goods is a commercial or legal term for items that are bought, sold, or transported. For everyday conversation, use belongings for small personal items and possessions for a slightly broader set. For example: 'Gita packed all her belongings into two suitcases' but 'The insurance covers all the possessions in your home.'

possessions ↗belongings ↗assets ↗goods ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • piece of property
  • items of property
  • right of property

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchAnglo-NormanMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'property' entered English around 1300 through Old French 'propreté', meaning 'something owned'. That French word came from Latin 'proprietās', which meant 'a peculiarity' or 'ownership', and was built on 'proprius' meaning 'one's own, special'. Over time, the word developed from the basic idea of 'ownership' into also naming the things that are owned, and later into describing the inherent qualities of things (a shift from 'a thing that belongs to you' to 'a quality that belongs to a substance').