Etymology

Today it means: Used in instances of title of property (such as a vehicle) to refer to the person who has right of property, as opposed to the party that merely has right of possession. The party that only has right of possession is referred to as a registered owner, and in the event the registered owner fails to pay off the lien according to the agreed-to terms, the lienholder has the right to invoke repossession of the property (vehicle). Full definition →