Meaning & use
parcel of land
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Meanings
nouncountable
A measured area of ground, often one marked out for sale, building, or farming.
Grammar: Countable: use a/an or a number before it, and make the plural parcels of land.
Patterns
- a parcel of land
- parcels of land
- a parcel of land on something
- divide something into parcels of land
The farmer sold a small parcel of land at the edge of his field.
They bought two adjoining parcels of land and built one large house.
The map shows each parcel of land and who owns it.
nouncountablelegal
A section of ground treated as a single unit in legal or official records.
Grammar: Often used with legal verbs such as own, transfer, register, or inherit.
Patterns
- own a parcel of land
- transfer a parcel of land to someone
- register a parcel of land
Under the contract, the parcel of land passes to his daughter.
The county records list every parcel of land and its boundaries.
You cannot build here until the parcel of land is officially registered.
Word forms
| plural | parcels of land |
|---|
Common combinations
- a parcel of land
- He inherited a parcel of land from his uncle.
- adjoining parcels of land
- Two adjoining parcels of land were merged into a single farm.
- a parcel of land for sale
- There is a parcel of land for sale just outside the village.
- divide land into parcels
- The estate was divided into several parcels of land.
- a parcel of land on the coast
- They own a valuable parcel of land on the coast.
Synonyms and how they differ
- plot
- Use plot for a small piece of land meant for one house or garden; a parcel of land is the more official term and can be any size.
- lot
- Lot is the usual American word for a measured piece of land in a town or development; parcel of land sounds more legal or rural.
- tract
- Tract suggests a large, wide area of land, while a parcel of land can be large or small.
- piece of land
- Piece of land is the everyday spoken choice; parcel of land fits contracts, maps, and official writing.
Word family
Commonly confused: parcel of land or partial? parcel of land or parcel?
parcel of land vs partial
Partial means incomplete or favoring one side, and it sounds similar, but it has nothing to do with land.
parcel of land vs parcel
Parcel alone usually means a package you mail; add "of land" when you mean ground or property.
Practice
Which sentence uses "parcel of land" correctly?
Choose one answer.
"Parcel of land" means an area of ground, so buying one to build on fits. The other options use parcel in its mailing sense, which does not go with "of land."
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “parcel of land”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.