Property — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈprä-pər-tē/ prop·er·ty

Meaning & Definition of Property

Property (noun)

  1. a quality or trait belonging and especially peculiar to an individual or thing
  2. an effect that an object has on another object or on the senses
  3. virtue

Property (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a small piece of land that is developed or available for development

    "bought a secluded property in the mountains"

    similar: lot, parcel, plat, plot, tract
    related: patch, frontage, lease, development, real estate

  2. something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind

    "the ability to be magnetized is a common property of metals"

    similar: affection, attribute, attribution, character, characteristic, criterion, diagnostic, differentia, feature, fingerprint, hallmark, mark, marker, note, particularity, peculiarity, point, quality, specific, stamp, touch, trait
    related: badge, indication, sign, emblem, symbol, token, charm, grace, excellence, merit, virtue, eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, oddity, quirk, individuality, singularity, uniqueness

Related Entry: Property tax (noun)

Property tax is a different word from Property. The synonyms below are for property tax, not for property.

  1. as in income tax, sales tax

    similar: capitation, custom(s), excise, hidden tax, income tax, poll tax, sales tax, single tax, sin tax, tariff, toll, tribute, value-added tax, withholding tax, assessment, duty, imposition, impost, levy, tax, direct tax, personal tax, supertax, surcharge, surtax, death tax, estate tax, inheritance tax, flat tax, proportional tax

Related Entry: Property taxes (noun)

Property taxes is a different word from Property. The synonyms below are for property taxes, not for property.

  1. as in income taxes, sales taxes

    similar: capitations, customs, excises, hidden taxes, income taxes, poll taxes, sales taxes, single taxes, sin taxes, tariffs, tolls, tributes, value-added taxes, withholding taxes, assessments, duties, impositions, imposts, levies, taxes, direct taxes, personal taxes, supertaxes, surcharges, surtaxes, death taxes, estate taxes, inheritance taxes, flat taxes, proportional taxes

Related Entry: Personal property (noun)

Personal property is a different word from Property. The synonyms below are for personal property, not for property.

  1. transportable items that one owns

    "any personal property that is left in the lockers overnight will be impounded"

    similar: belongings, chattels, duds, effects, gear, goods, holdings, movables, paraphernalia, personal effects, personalty, plunder (chiefly dialect), possession, stuff, things
    related: treasures, valuables, appointments, fixtures, furnishings, estate, property, tangibles, collateral
    near: immovables, real estate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Property

The most common words with a similar meaning to Property:

lot, parcel, plat, plot, tract, affection, attribute, attribution, character, characteristic, criterion, diagnostic, differentia, feature, fingerprint, hallmark, mark, marker, note, particularity, peculiarity, point, quality, specific, stamp, touch, trait

Related Words for Property

patch, frontage, lease, development, real estate, badge, indication, sign, emblem, symbol, token, charm, grace, excellence, merit, virtue, eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, oddity, quirk, individuality, singularity, uniqueness

Word Forms of Property

Inflections: properties

Derived words: propertyless (adjective), propertylessness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Property

Middle English proprete, properte, propriete "distinctive quality, proper meaning of a word, propriety, fitness, ownership, land or goods owned," borrowed from Anglo-French propreté, propreté, proprieté, borrowed from Latin propriētāt-, propriētās "special character of a thing, proper meaning of a word, fitness, rightness, ownership" (Medieval Latin also "something owned, possession"), from proprius "one's own, peculiar to one person or thing" + -ētat-, -ētas, variant of -itās -ity after a vowel proper:1

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Property

Words & Phrases Containing Property

property damage insurance, property right, property tax, property damage, community property, intellectual property, personal property, common property, public property

Frequently Asked Questions about Property

What does "Property" mean?

"Property" means a quality or trait belonging and especially peculiar to an individual or thing. As a noun, it is defined as: a quality or trait belonging and especially peculiar to an individual or thing. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Property"?

Other words for "Property" include lot, parcel, plat, plot, tract, affection, attribute and attribution. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Property" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Property"?

There are 50 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Property". Common alternatives include lot, parcel, plat, plot, tract, affection, attribute, attribution, character and characteristic.

How do you use "Property" in a sentence?

Examples of "Property" in a sentence: "bought a secluded property in the mountains"; "the ability to be magnetized is a common property of metals".

Is "Property" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Property" is a noun.

Is "Property" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Property" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Property"?

"Property" is pronounced /ˈprä-pər-tē/ and divided into syllables as prop·er·ty.

What is the origin of the word "Property"?

"Property" comes from Middle English proprete, properte, propriete "distinctive quality, proper meaning of a word, propriety, fitness, ownership, land or goods owned," borrowed from Anglo-French propreté, propreté, proprieté, borrowed from Latin propriētāt-, propriētās "special character of a thing, proper meaning of a word, fitness, rightness, ownership" (Medieval Latin also "something owned, possession"), from proprius "one's own, peculiar to one person or thing" + -ētat-, -ētas, variant of -itās -ity after a vowel proper:1. First known use: 14th century.