Metes

Metes is a term used in land surveying to describe measured distances and directions that define a parcel of land in a metes and bounds description. The metes portion specifies the length of each boundary line and the bearing or course of that line. Distances are stated in linear units such as feet or meters, and directions are given as bearings (for example, N 45° E) or as azimuths. The description starts at a designated point of beginning and proceeds along successive lines, returning to the starting point to close the boundary.

In a typical metes and bounds description, the lines are tied to specific landmarks, monuments, or courses that mark the ends of each segment. The term bounds can refer to such monuments or visible features—natural objects like a tree or rock, or artificial markers like iron pins or concrete monuments. The combination of metes (distances and directions) with bounds (landmarks or markers) creates a boundary that a surveyor must locate and measure on the ground.

Historically, metes and bounds descriptions have been common in English and American land grants, especially for irregularly shaped parcels. They remain in use for legacy deeds and for parcels where a rectangular survey does not fit. Modern practice often supplements or replaces metes and bounds with more standardized descriptions (such as plats, lots and blocks, or the rectangular survey system) to improve clarity and reduce disputes, though metes and bounds descriptions can still be legally binding when accurately executed.