acre
gb/ˈeɪkɚ/ us/ˈeɪkɚ/
B1
English
~ 8300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
quantity
1
unit for measuring land area
A measure of land area, about 4,000 square meters, used especially for farms and fields.
Usage pattern:
[number] acres of [land]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse an acre with a hectare or think one acre is the same as 1,000 square meters. Another common mistake is using a singular noun after numbers (e.g., saying "five acre of land" instead of "five acres of land"). Also note that in compound modifiers we say "a five-acre field," not "a five-acres field."
Synonyms
hectare (Metric unit equal to about 2.47 acres; used more in international and scientific contexts.)
|
area (General word for size of a surface; not specific to this exact measurement.)
Antonyms
square inch (A very small unit of area, contrasting with the relatively large size of an acre.)
Collocations
an acre of land
|half an acre
|ten acres of farmland
|price per acre
|acres of woodland
|cost per acre
Themes
measurement
|geography
|real_estate
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The farm covers almost 300 acres of open countryside.
- They bought five acres of land to build their new home.
- Each plot is just under an acre in size.
- In this region, vineyards can cost over $15,000 per acre.
Learner examples
- My uncle has three acres behind his house.
- They want to buy one acre to start a small farm.
- This field is about half an acre.
- Land here is very expensive per acre.
Noun
informal
C1
quantity
2
a very large area or amount
A way to say there is a very large amount of something, usually space or a surface, often using the plural "acres of".
Usage pattern:
acres of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this always refers to land, but in this sense it can describe many things (space, fabric, paper, skin, etc.) in a figurative way. It is almost always used in the plural form with "of" (e.g., "acres of space"), not usually as "an acre of space" when the meaning is just "a lot" rather than the exact measurement.
Synonyms
loads (Informal word for a very large amount; not limited to space or surface.)
|
miles (Informal, hyperbolic way to talk about a large distance or amount; used similarly for emphasis.)
Antonyms
a bit (Means only a small amount, contrasting with the idea of a very large amount.)
Collocations
acres of space
|acres of parking
|acres of glass
|acres of fabric
|acres of newsprint
|acres of skin
Themes
quantity
|description
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The new office has acres of open desk space.
- There were acres of empty parking outside the stadium.
- The designer used acres of white fabric for the dress.
- The article devoted acres of newsprint to the scandal.
Learner examples
- Our living room has acres of space now.
- There were acres of empty chairs in the hall.
- The shop shows acres of bright, colorful clothes.
- The garden has acres of green grass for the kids.
Grammar
Dictionary form
acre
IPA
GB/ˈeɪkɚ/
US/ˈeɪkɚ/
Syllables & stress
acre (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (acre)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: acre
- Plural: acres
Word family
Forms
acres
noun
Related words
acreage
noun B2
Expressions
acres of
1/ˈeɪkɚz əv/
fixed phrase
a very large amount of something
Used to say there is a very large amount of something, especially space or a surface, often for emphasis.
Examples
- The hotel lobby has acres of marble floor and tall glass windows.
- There were acres of free parking near the shopping center.
- The fashion show featured acres of bright, flowing silk.