Legal Dictionary
Main Entry:
chat·telPronunciation:
'chat-&lFunction:
nounEtymology: Old French
chatel goods, property, from Medieval Latin
capitale, from neuter of
capitalis chief, principal —see
CAPITAL : an item of tangible or intangible personal property;
especially : CHATTEL PERSONAL in this entry
NOTE: In some jurisdictions the term chattel is restricted to items of tangible and movable personal property. Other jurisdictions also classify intangible assets and property items as chattels.
chattel personal;
plural chattels personal : an item of tangible movable personal property (as livestock or an automobile) that is not permanently connected with real estate
chattel real;
plural chattels real : an interest (as a leasehold or profit a prendre) in an item of immovable property (as land or a building) that is less than a freehold estate —compare
FIXTURE NOTE: Interests that are considered chattels real have been treated by the common law as personal property despite being interests in real property.
[chat-l] 
l