ENGLISH
REFERENCE

property

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈpɹɑpɝti// UK //pɹˈɒpəti// prop·er·ty Archaic General-service

n. something that belongs to a person, like a house, a car, or a phone. It can also mean a special quality or feature that something has, like how ice is cold.

n. a thing or things belonging to someone; also a characteristic, attribute, or quality belonging to an object or substance. Both senses are common in general and technical contexts.


SIMPLE

The police recovered the stolen property.

CONTEXTUAL

The developer bought the old property to turn it into a modern apartment building.

COMPLEX

One physical property of copper is its high electrical conductivity, which makes it an essential material for manufacturing wiring and electronic components.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English propertee, properte, propirte, proprete, borrowed from Anglo-Norman and Old French propreté, proprieté (“propriety, fitness, property”), from Latin proprietās (“a peculiarity, one's peculiar nature or quality, right or fact of possession, property”), from proprius (“special, particular, one's own”). Equivalent to proper + -ty. Doublet of propriety.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general concept of ownership; countable when referring to specific buildings or distinct characteristics.

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