What does admeasurement mean?
Admeasurement refers to the act of measuring or determining the dimensions, extent, or quantity of something, and by extension to the measurement itself or the portion thereby allotted. It is a formal word, encountered most often in legal and technical contexts — for example, in the admeasurement of land boundaries, of dower rights, or of damages owed. Where everyday speech relies on 'measurement', admeasurement carries a weightier, more official tone, suggesting careful, authoritative determination rather than casual estimation. The word derives from Latin roots via Old French, combining the prefix 'ad-' with 'measure'. Though rare in modern general usage, it survives in legal terminology and historical texts, making it useful for readers of contracts, deeds, and older literature who wish to understand precisely how quantities of land, goods, or money were formally assessed and apportioned.
nounThe act or process of measuring or ascertaining the dimensions, extent, or quantity of something; also, the result of such measurement, especially in legal contexts concerning land or property.
- The act of measuring or ascertaining the dimensions or extent of something, especially land or property (formal/legal).
- A measured-out portion or allotment; the result or record of such measurement.
"The surveyor's admeasurement of the estate revealed that the parcel was considerably larger than the deed stated."
"The court ordered an admeasurement of the disputed boundary before any ruling could be made."
"Each heir received an admeasurement of the family's holdings, carefully recorded by the county surveyor."
The plural is rare and appears mainly in legal or surveying records referring to multiple measurements or allotments.
"The archive contains detailed admeasurements of every parish boundary in the county."
Before 'measurement' took over, English speakers once formally 'admeasured' their land — and the word still survives in legal writs today.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of admeasurement
Admeasurement entered English in the late Middle Ages from Anglo-Norman and Old French forms built on 'mesure', itself derived from Latin 'mensura' (a measuring), from 'metiri' (to measure). The prefix 'ad-' adds the sense of directing the action toward something, giving the word its meaning of measuring out or apportioning. It shares this Latin root with words such as 'measure', 'commensurate', and 'dimension', and it has been used in English legal contexts since at least the medieval period.
Related word forms
How admeasurement is actually used
Admeasurement is formal and now largely confined to legal and technical writing, particularly in property law and historical documents. In ordinary contexts, 'measurement' is strongly preferred. The verb form 'admeasure' is similarly rare outside specialized use.
Easily confused with admeasurement
Measurement is the general everyday term for determining size or amount, while admeasurement is a formal, chiefly legal term for measuring out or apportioning something such as land or damages.