Pronunciation: /ˈtʃætəl/

Definitions of chattel

noun a movable item of personal property, especially one that is not real estate

Example Sentences

A1 My cat is my favorite chattel.

A2 In some cultures, chattel refers to personal possessions.

B1 The farmer considered his livestock as chattel.

B2 During the divorce proceedings, they had to divide their chattels.

C1 The wealthy businessman's chattels included expensive artwork and jewelry.

C2 The museum displayed a collection of historical chattels from the 18th century.

adjective relating to or consisting of chattels

Example Sentences

A1 I bought a chattel lamp for my living room.

A2 The farmer used chattel equipment to plow the fields.

B1 The antique shop sells chattel furniture from the 19th century.

B2 The chattel possessions of the estate were divided among the heirs.

C1 The wealthy businessman owned a collection of chattel art worth millions.

C2 The legal dispute over the chattel property dragged on for years in court.

Examples of chattel in a Sentence

formal The legal term 'chattel' refers to personal property such as furniture or vehicles.

informal I need to sell some of my chattel to make some extra cash.

slang I can't believe he just took my chattel without asking!

figurative In her eyes, he was nothing more than a mere chattel to be used and discarded.

Grammatical Forms of chattel

past tense

chattelled

plural

chattels

comparative

more chattel

superlative

most chattel

present tense

chattles

future tense

will chattel

perfect tense

have chattelled

continuous tense

is chattelling

singular

chattel

positive degree

chattel

infinitive

to chattel

gerund

chattelling

participle

chattelled

Origin and Evolution of chattel

First Known Use: 1400 year
Language of Origin: Old French
Story behind the word: The word 'chattel' originated from the Old French word 'chatel', which meant 'property'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'chattel' evolved to specifically refer to movable property or possessions, especially in the context of slavery where it was used to describe enslaved people as property.