What does centare mean?
The centare is a metric unit of area equal to exactly one square metre, making it one-hundredth of an are and one ten-thousandth of a hectare. The word derives from French "centiare," combining the Latin "centum" (hundred) with "area," reflecting its position within the decimal hierarchy of metric land measurement. Although it once had a place alongside the are and hectare in the official metric system, the centare has fallen almost entirely out of everyday use; speakers simply say "square metre." Today the term survives chiefly in historical land records, cadastral surveys, and older technical literature from Europe. It is worth knowing primarily for readers of archival documents or for those interested in the history of measurement, since encountering it in modern conversation would be highly unusual. Its rarity gives it a certain curiosity value among units of measure.
nounA metric unit of area equal to one square metre.
- A metric unit of area equal to one square metre (one hundredth of an are).
"The allotment measured barely a hundred centares, yet the gardener grew vegetables in every corner of it."
"The plot was recorded as forty-five centares in the official cadastral register."
"Each apartment was allocated exactly one centare of storage space in the basement."
Regular plural formation; typically used when stating areas greater than one square metre in historical or cadastral contexts.
"The estate totalled nearly three thousand centares of arable land."
A centare sounds like a creature or a coin, but it's really just a fancy name for one square metre — a unit so obscure even many surveyors have never used it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of centare
The word "centare" comes from the French "centiare," formed from Latin "centum" meaning "hundred" plus "area." It entered English in the nineteenth century as part of the vocabulary accompanying the adoption of the metric system, alongside related units such as the are and the hectare. The same Latin root "centum" appears in words like "century," "percent," and "centimeter," all conveying ideas of hundreds or hundredths.
How centare is actually used
The centare is a rare, largely obsolete term encountered mainly in older legal documents, cadastral records, and technical texts from countries using the metric system. In modern usage, "square metre" is almost always preferred. The word is formal and technical rather than conversational.
Easily confused with centare
"Center" is the middle point of something, while "centare" is a unit of area equal to one square metre; they differ by only one letter but share no meaning.
"Centaur" is a mythological creature that is half man and half horse, whereas "centare" is a metric unit of land area.