decare
Very lowTechnical, formal
Definition
Meaning
A metric unit of area equal to ten ares, or 1000 square meters.
Primarily used in land measurement, especially in agriculture and forestry in some European countries. It is equivalent to 0.1 hectares.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A non-SI unit accepted for use with the International System of Units. It is not a common term in everyday English and is mostly encountered in specific technical contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage, as it is a technical international unit. The spelling is identical.
Connotations
Neutral and technical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in both British and American English. Slightly more likely to appear in British publications due to historical metrication patterns.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[number] decares of [land/field/forest]an area of [number] decaresVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in real estate and land transactions in countries where the unit is standard.
Academic
Found in geography, agricultural science, and forestry papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Precise term in land surveying, cadastral mapping, and agricultural planning.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The field is very big.
- The farm has several fields of different sizes.
- The new agricultural plot measures exactly five decares.
- Land registry documents in the region now record area in decares rather than the older local units.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'DECA' meaning ten and 'ARE' as 100 square meters; together, ten ares make 1000 square meters.
Conceptual Metaphor
LAND IS A MEASURABLE RESOURCE
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'гектар' (hectare), which is ten times larger. The Russian word 'декар' is a direct borrowing but very rare.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing with 'hectare', misspelling as 'decair' or 'dekare'.
- Incorrectly converting to square meters (e.g., thinking 1 decare = 100 sq m).
Practice
Quiz
What is a decare?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, a decare is one tenth of a hectare. A hectare is 10,000 square metres.
It is used in some European countries, such as parts of Southeastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, for measuring agricultural land.
In British English, it is pronounced /ˈdɛkɛː/. In American English, it is /ˈdɛkɛr/.
The hectare is the more dominant metric unit for land area in international use, making the decare a regional or specialised term.