Erf / urrrf / noun
Definition: An Erf is a plot of land typically about half an acre in size. It’s usually in an urban area and marked off for building purposes. It can also refer to a plot or stand in a deeds registry or a piece of land laid out as a township.
Etymology: Erf originated from the Middle Dutch word erf/erve, which is a plot of land or inheritance. Erf also originated from the Old High German word erbi, which means inheritance. The term is of Afrikaans origin and is most commonly used in South Africa and Namibia.
In a Sentence
The nice man down the road inherited an erf from his grandfather.
You must not step foot on that erf as it has been cordoned off for the new apartment complex.
As that specific area of Johannesburg is considered a public place by the government, it is not an erf registered in a deeds registry.
Synonyms
Plot, Allotment, Patch, Tract
Antonyms
Public Place, Ocean, River
Erf
I deal in property recording in Italy and know all the pertinent Italian words for formal recordings in the Italian cadastral data base. Sometimes I am hard pressed to find the English equivalent. The word ERF will help.