The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Chattel \Chat"tel\, n. [OF. chatel; another form of catel. See
   Cattle.] (Law)
   Any item of movable or immovable property except the
   freehold, or the things which are parcel of it. It is a more
   extensive term than goods or effects.
   [1913 Webster]

   Note: Chattels are personal or real: personal are such as are
         movable, as goods, plate, money; real are such rights
         in land as are less than a freehold, as leases,
         mortgages, growing corn, etc.
         [1913 Webster]

   Chattel mortgage (Law), a mortgage on personal property, as
      distinguished from one on real property.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

chattel
    n 1: personal as opposed to real property; any tangible movable
         property (furniture or domestic animals or a car etc) [syn:
         chattel, personal chattel, movable]