proprietà

Proprietà, from Latin proprietas, is a term used in Italian civil law and in philosophy to denote the right to own, control, and dispose of a thing. In law, it refers mainly to ownership rights (diritto di proprietà), a real right that allows the holder to use, enjoy, and dispose of a property within the limits set by law. Ownership may be full (proprietà piena) or subject to encumbrances such as usufruct, servitù, or charges.

Types of property include real property (beni immobili) and personal property (beni mobili). Real property comprises land and buildings and often requires formal transfer procedures, including title and registration. Personal property encompasses movable objects and intangible assets, including intellectual property (proprietà intellettuale), such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.

Acquisition and transfer of ownership occur through title (titolo) and possession, with common methods including purchase, donation, inheritance, or prescription. For real property, transfers typically require a notarial deed and registration in public registries to ensure enforceability against third parties.

Limitations and public interest: proprietà is not absolute; it is subject to law and public regulation (for example, zoning, environmental rules, and expropriation). Servitù and usufrutto are legal instruments that allot rights to other parties over a property, while expropriation can transfer ownership to the state for public use with compensation.

Philosophical dimension: in philosophy and science, "proprietà" can refer to properties or predicates attributed to objects, such as color, shape, or material composition, with discussions distinguishing essential versus accidental properties.