bailment
|bail-ment|
/ˈbeɪlmənt/
temporary entrustment of property (possession without ownership)
Etymology
'bailment' originates from Old French, specifically the verb 'baillier'/'bailler' meaning 'to deliver' or 'to hand over', combined with the suffix '-ment' (from Old French/Latin) forming a noun.
'bailment' entered English via Middle English (e.g. 'baillement') as a noun formed from 'bail' (from Old French) plus the nominalizing suffix '-ment', and developed into the modern legal term 'bailment'.
Initially it referred broadly to the act of handing over or delivering; over time it narrowed in legal usage to mean specifically the entrustment of personal property and the legal relationship (possession without transfer of ownership).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the delivery of personal property by one person (the bailor) to another (the bailee) for a specific purpose, with the understanding that the property will be returned when the purpose is fulfilled; essentially, entrustment for safekeeping or use.
The company accepted the bailment of the goods for safekeeping.
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Noun 2
the legal relationship created by such delivery in which possession (but not ownership) of the property is transferred to the bailee, who owes duties of care and return of the property.
Under the bailment, the bailee is responsible for taking reasonable care of the property.
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Last updated: 2026/01/01 23:00