cadastre
C2Formal; Technical
Definition
Meaning
An official public register showing details of ownership, value, and boundaries of land for taxation.
The comprehensive record of real property within a district, often in the form of a series of maps and associated records, used for administrative, fiscal, and planning purposes.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A highly specialised term used in surveying, land administration, and governance. Related to 'cadastral' (adjective) and the process of 'cadastration'. Often associated with systematic, large-scale mapping.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'cadastre' (UK, influenced by French) and 'cadaster' (US) both exist, but 'cadastre' is increasingly standard in international technical English. The concept is identical.
Connotations
Both carry a formal, bureaucratic connotation. No significant difference in connotation between varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language in both regions. Used exclusively in specialist fields like surveying, real estate law, and urban planning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [ADJECTIVE] cadastre shows [NOUN PHRASE].The government maintains a cadastre of [TYPE OF LAND].According to the cadastre, the plot [VERB PHRASE].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in real estate development and transactions to verify legal ownership and plot dimensions. (e.g., 'The purchase is contingent on the cadastre confirming the boundary lines.')
Academic
Used in geography, urban studies, and land economy research. (e.g., 'The study analysed historical cadastres to track land-use change.')
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in surveying, cartography, land administration, and taxation. (e.g., 'The new GIS software integrates directly with the national digital cadastre.')
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The government plans to cadastrate the entire territory.
- The newly annexed lands must be cadastred.
American English
- The county will cadaster the rural plots next year.
- The process to cadaster the forest land has begun.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- The cadastral survey revealed several discrepancies.
- We need the latest cadastral data for the planning application.
American English
- The cadastral map is stored in the county clerk's office.
- Cadastral information is public record.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Not applicable for this word.
- Not applicable for this word.
- The lawyer checked the cadastre to confirm the land's owner.
- Old cadastres can be valuable historical documents.
- Modernising the national cadastre is a prerequisite for efficient property taxation and urban planning.
- The dispute was resolved by referring to the original cadastral survey from the 19th century.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'A CAD has a map of the land for the taxman.' CAD (like a draughtsman) + ASTRE (sounds like 'aster' star, to map out).
Conceptual Metaphor
LAND IS A DOCUMENT; TERRITORY IS A LEDGER.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'кадастр' (который является прямым заимствованием и точным эквивалентом).
- Не переводить как 'кадастровый учёт' — это процесс (cadastration/cadastral surveying), а не сам реестр.
- Отличать от 'земельный каталог' или 'реестр' общего характера; cadastre — именно официальный, фискальный/правовой реестр.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'cadaster' vs 'cadastre'. Both are acceptable.
- Mispronunciation: Stress is on the second syllable: /kə-DAS-tə(r)/.
- Using it as a verb. The verb is 'to cadaster' or 'to cadastrate', but these are very rare.
Practice
Quiz
In which professional context would you most likely encounter the word 'cadastre'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A cadastre is a specific type of register or series of maps tied to legal land ownership, valuation, and taxation. A general map may show physical or political features without this legal-administrative purpose.
No, it is a highly specialised term (C2 level). You will only encounter it in fields related to land management, law, surveying, or certain historical/geographical academic texts.
The adjective is 'cadastral', as in 'cadastral map' or 'cadastral data'.
It comes from the French 'cadastre' (land register), which in turn derives from the Late Latin 'capitastrum' (register of heads, or poll tax), and ultimately from Latin 'caput' (head).