hectare
UK[ˈhɛktɛː]US[ˈhɛktɛr]
n
a metric unit of area equal to 10,000 square meters (approximately 2.471 acres).
Morpheme Breakdown
hect
are
hect
hundred
are
area
Etymology
the word 'hectare' is a modern french formation from the late 18th century, created within the metric system. it combines the greek-derived prefix 'hecto-', meaning 'one hundred', with the latin-derived unit 'are', which itself denotes a measure of area. thus, a hectare literally signifies 'one hundred ares', directly linking the ancient concepts of quantity and measured space to a precise, standardized unit of land measurement. this construction exemplifies the systematic and international character of scientific terminology developed during the enlightenment.
Analysis
Structure: hect (hundred) + are (area)
hect originates from greek 'hekatón', meaning 'hundred', via french. are originates from latin 'ārea', meaning 'open space, threshing floor, plot of land'.
Examples
the farm consists of over fifty hectares of arable land.
the new national park will protect several thousand hectares of rainforest.
a standard soccer field is roughly 0.7 hectares in size.