/vahr"euh/ ; Sp. /bah"rddah/ ; Port. /vah"rddeuh/ , n. , pl. varas /vahr"euhz/ ; Sp. /bah"rddahs/ ; Port. /vah"rddeuhsh/ .
1. a unit of length in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, varying from about 32 in. (81 cm) to about 43 in. (109 cm).
2. the square vara, used as a unit of area.
[ 1595-1605; vara forked pole, n. use of fem. of varus crooked, bent ]