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 nounWilliam M. McGovern, Jr. et al.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
Brad Finkelstein2
: 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
Frederick DouglassSome, 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 nounMary Beth Norton et al.… [George] Washington is tainted by our country's original sin: slavery. He owned other human beings as chattel.—Robert Schlesinger
Robert SchlesingerUltimately, the book illuminates both the tragedy of holding human chattel and the corruption that flows from such inhumanity.—Melba Newsome
see also chattel slavery
Melba Newsome
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
See all Example Sentences for chattel 
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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
See all Example Sentences for chattel
Dictionary Entries Near chattel
Cite this Entry
“Chattel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chattel. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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