alienable

views updated May 21 2018

al·ien·a·ble / ˈālēənəbəl; ˈālyənə-/ • adj. Law able to be transferred to new ownership.DERIVATIVES: a·lien·a·bil·i·ty / ˌālēənəˈbilitē; ˌālyən-/ n.

Alienable

views updated May 18 2018

ALIENABLE

The character of property that makes it capable of sale or transfer.

Absent a restriction in the owner's right, interests in real property and tangiblepersonal propertyare generally freely and fully alienable by their nature. Likewise, many types of intangible personal property, such as a patent ortrade mark, are alienable forms of property. By comparison, constitutional rights of life, liberty, and property are not transferable and, thus, are termed inalienable. Similarly, certain forms of property, such as employee security benefits, are typically not subject to transfer on the part of the owner and are inalienable forms of property.