Hectares

/ˈhɛktɛrz/ noun

Definition

Units of land measurement equal to 10,000 square meters or about 2.5 acres, commonly used in many countries outside the US.

Etymology

From French 'hectare,' combining 'hecto-' (Greek for 100) and 'are' (the base unit of area). Standardized during the metric system adoption in the 1790s.

Kelly Says

Hectares are why Americans feel confused abroad—most of the world uses them instead of acres, making a hectare a symbol of the metric system's global dominance in science while the US stays quirky with imperial units.

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