effects

/əˈfɛkts/

/ɛˈfɛkts/

Effects are portable personal property not used for business. We most often hear this word in reference to one's "personal effects."

The noun effects was first used in 1704 to mean "goods and property." It's your personal stuff, like keys, fine china collection, watch, car, or earrings. "Personal effects" is a phrase often associated with a last will and testament, when someone bequeaths certain items (or items in general) to someone else, but it can also refer to the belongings you remove from your pockets and fork over when you go to jail (which you'll then get back when you leave).

Definitions of effects

1. noun

   property of a personal character that is portable but not used in business
   “she left some of her personal effects in the house”

   “I watched over their effects until they returned”

   synonyms: personal effects

   type of:

   personal estate, personal property, personalty, private property

   movable property (as distinguished from real estate)