Intangible property generally refers to statutory creations, such as copyright, trademarks, or patents.
In some jurisdictions, intangible property are referred to as choses in action.
Generally, ownership of intangible property gives the owner a set of legally enforceable rights over reproduction of personal property containing certain content.
For example, the owner of a copyright can control the printing of books containing the content, but the book itself is personal property which can be bought and sold without concern over the rights of the copyright holder.
In English law and other Commonwealth legal systems, intangible property is traditionally divided in pure intangibles (such as debts, intellectual property rights and goodwill) and documentary intangibles, which obtain their character through the medium of a document (such as a bill of lading, promissory note or bill of exchange).