A'cre, n.

(ā'ker), n. [A.-S. acer, acer, ecyr, Goth. akrs, Icel. akr, O. Sax. accar, O. H. Ger. achar, N. H. Ger. acker, D. akker, Sw. aker, Dan. ager, Lat. ager, Gr. ἀγρός, L. Lat. acra, Fr. acre, Ir. acra, W. eg. In these languages, the word retains its primitive sense,—an open, plowed, or sowed field. In English, it retained its original signification, that of any open field, until it was limited to a definite quantity by statutes 31 Ed. III. 5 Ed. I. 24 H. VIII. Cowell.] A piece of land, containing 160 square rods or perches, or 4840 square yards, or 43,560 square feet. This is the English statute acre. That of the United States is the same. The acre of Scotland contains 6104.128 square yards.