property

Things that belong to a person or organization, including land and buildings.

• This bag is my property.
• The police returned her stolen property.
• Please respect other people’s property.

Similar words: possessions, belongings

Common phrases: private property, personal property, someone’s property

Something that belongs to a person, group, or organization.

• These tools are my property.
• Please return any lost property to the office.
• The police found stolen property in his car.

How to use it: the property of someone (This bicycle is the property of the school.)

Similar words: possessions, belongings

Common phrases: private property, personal property, stolen property

A feature of a substance or thing that affects how it behaves or what it can do.

• This material has a useful property.
• We studied the chemical properties of water.
• Which property makes this metal useful for wires?

How to use it: property of something (One property of copper is its ability to carry electricity.)

Similar words: characteristic, feature, attribute

Common phrases: physical property, chemical property, useful property

The legal right to own, use, and sell something.

• The law protects the right of property.
• They disputed her property in the land.
• Property in the goods passes to the buyer upon payment.

How to use it: property in something (The agreement transfers property in the goods to the buyer.)

Similar words: ownership, title

Common phrases: right of property, property rights, property in something