English Explanatory Dictionary

chattel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Tangible, movable property.
  2. A slave.

Pronunciation

/ˈt͡ʃæt.l̩/ en-us-chattel.ogg

Word forms

chattel chattels

Etymology

From Middle English chatel, from Old French chatel, from Medieval Latin capitāle (English capital), from Latin capitālis (“of the head”), from caput (“head”) + -alis (“-al”). Compare the doublet cattle (“cows”), which is from an Anglo-Norman variant. Compare also capital and kith and kine (“all one’s possessions”), which also use “cow” to mean “property”.

Related words

capital cattle

Derived words

chattelhood chattel house chattelism chattel paper chattelship chattel slavery human chattel
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