Yesterday the question of what "real" means in "real estate" came up in a discussion of public land trusts. (An odd discussion for a bunch of lawnmower and chain saw mechanics!) This should be a good question for real estate lawyer Shufitz as well as the lexicographers. So, whaddaya say, folks?

According to my law dictionary, "real" is an acronym which stands for "Richness Envelops All Lawyers." I'm sure Shu can verify this.

The OED on real:

quote:

c. Consisting of immovable property, as lands and houses; esp. real estate (see ESTATE n. 11); also attrib.

1641 Decay Trade 2 The price and measure of all our other meanes both personall and reall.

And, if I recall correctly, the real derives from Latin res (thing).

immovable property

Real property in French is bien immobilier: bien 'goods, things' + immobilier 'unmovable' (cf. estate < Latin status 'standing'; static). Furniture in French is meuble, literally movable.