bailments
|bail-ment|
/ˈbeɪlmənt/
(bailment)
temporary entrustment of property (possession without ownership)
Etymology
'bailment' originates from Anglo-French/Old French, specifically from the verb 'baillier' (also seen as 'bail') meaning 'to deliver' or 'to have charge of', combined with the nominalizing suffix '-ment' (from Old French/Latin).
'bailment' developed from Anglo-French/Old French 'baillier' (and the noun 'bail' meaning 'custody'), entered Middle English in legal contexts and later took the suffix '-ment' to form the modern English legal noun 'bailment'.
Initially it referred more generally to the act of delivering or having charge of something; over time it evolved into the specific legal sense of 'temporary transfer of possession without transfer of ownership' used in modern law.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the delivery of personal property by one person (the bailor) to another (the bailee) for a particular purpose, with the expectation that the property will be returned or otherwise disposed of according to the bailor's directions; possession passes but ownership remains with the bailor.
Bailments often arise when goods are left with a carrier, repairer, or storage facility.
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Noun 2
the legal relationship and duties (such as reasonable care) created by such delivery of goods from bailor to bailee.
Many legal disputes concern the duties and liabilities that arise from bailments.
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Last updated: 2026/01/01 23:13