What does admeasured mean?
"Admeasured" is the past tense of the rare verb "admeasure," meaning to have measured out or apportioned something — most commonly land, shares of an inheritance, or other quantities — often under formal or legal authority. The word derives from Latin roots meaning "to measure toward" or "measure out," sharing an origin with "measure," "dimension," and "commensurate." Today it appears almost exclusively in legal documents, historical records, and technical surveying contexts, where precision about how much was allotted to whom matters. A deed might state that pasture was admeasured among heirs, or that timber rights were admeasured by the acre. Because it is uncommon even among educated readers, writers generally reach for it only when its formal, official flavor is exactly what they want; in everyday contexts, "apportioned" or "divided up" serves more naturally. Its noun form, "admeasurement," survives somewhat more visibly in older legal usage.
verbPast tense of "admeasure": to have measured out or apportioned something, especially land, shares, or quantities, often formally or by official authority.
- To have measured out or apportioned something, especially land, shares, or portions, often by formal or legal authority.
"The surveyor admeasured the plots precisely before the estate was divided among the heirs."
"The commissioners admeasured each family's share of the common pasture."
"In the old deed, the timber rights were admeasured by the acre rather than by the tree."
"Admeasured" comes from the same Latin root as "immense" — literally 'un-measureable' — making these two words opposite sides of the same ancient coin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of admeasured
"Admeasured" traces to the verb "admeasure," formed from the Latin prefix ad- ("to, toward") combined with the root of "measure," from Latin mensurare, derived from mensura ("a measuring"). The word entered English in the late medieval or early modern period through Anglo-Norman and Old French legal usage, where precise apportionment of land and dues was a constant concern. It shares its ultimate root with cognates such as "dimension," "immense," "commensurate," and "mensuration."
Related word forms
How admeasured is actually used
Rare and formal; found chiefly in legal, historical, and surveying texts. Almost always encountered as the past tense of "admeasure" rather than used independently.
Easily confused with admeasured
"Measured" means simply measured or deliberate in manner, while "admeasured" specifically means measured out and apportioned, typically in a formal or legal context.