morgen

[ mawr-guhn ]

noun

1. a unit of land measure equal to about two acres (0.8 hectare), formerly in use in Holland and the Dutch colonies and still used in South Africa.
2. a unit equal to about two-thirds of an acre (0.3 hectare), formerly used in Prussia, Norway, and Denmark.

morgen

/ ˈmɔːɡən /

noun

1. a South African unit of area, equal to about two acres or 0.8 hectare
2. a unit of area, formerly used in Prussia and Scandinavia, equal to about two thirds of an acre

Word History and Origins

Origin of morgen¹

1620–30, Americanism; < Dutch morgen and German Morgen morgen, morning (as much land as one plows in a morning)

Word History and Origins

Origin of morgen¹

C17: from Dutch: morning, a morning's ploughing

Example Sentences

Anthony sold his farm near Wall Street, but somehow secured the deed for 100 morgens of land, or about 200 acres, near Coney Island.

From New York Times

The answer came in the form of another solo hiker, undeterred by the rain, who greeted me with an enthusiastic “guten morgen” as he strode by.

From Washington Post

The staff are dressed in traditional Austrian garb and greet you “guten morgen” everyday and “auf wiedersehen” at night.

From Forbes

Instead of being prosperous on your own farm, under a good Government, you will become mere wretched Trek Boers, without a morgen of land you can call your own.

From Project Gutenberg

The Major also held 60 morgens of coarse grazing-land, with a cottage and stables, two miles away on the “veldt” to the north-east of Rondebosch.

From Project Gutenberg