vara

A Spanish-colonial unit, about 33.33 inches in Texas.

A unit inherited from Spanish and Mexican land grants, common in Texas and the Southwest. Its length varies by jurisdiction; the Texas vara is 33 1/3 inches, or about 2.78 feet.

Where you'll see it

Surveying Basics

How to Read a Metes and Bounds Description

Deeds are written in their own language. Here is how to walk one line by line — and what the closure math is actually telling you at the end.

Related terms in Units of Measure

chain link rod

Back to the full glossary