Definition of real estate

The term "real estate" emerged during the 17th century in England, where it was originally used to distinguish immovable property like land and buildings from moveable possessions like furniture and livestock, which were known as "personal property." The term came from the French words "terre réelle," which literally translates to "real land." In English, "real" actually comes from the Old French word "reel" which originally meant "true" or "genuine," and eventually came to signify the literalness or physicality of land in contrast to movable, less tangible personal property. The term "real estate" first appeared in printed works in the mid-18th century, and by the 19th century, it had become commonly used in the United States and other English-speaking countries to refer to ownable, tangible property that is stationary, fixed in location, and not easily movable or transportable. Today, the term is widely recognized in real estate law and finance, and is used to describe everything from suburban homes and inner-city lofts to high-rise office buildings and farmland.