NYT Dictionary
CHATTEL
/ˈt͡ʃæt.l̩/NounCHAT-telchat-tel · 2 syllablesGrade 10
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2026
Meaning
Tangible, movable property.
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
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”.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 2 recorded puzzles: