Definition
Yard
A yard is a length unit equal to 3 feet or 36 inches.
What it means
Think of one yard as three 1-foot lengths touching end to end. Yards are useful for lengths that are bigger than a ruler but do not need a very large unit.
Remember it
Three feet make one yard: picture three foot-long pieces touching end to end.
Example
A rope is 4 yards long. Since 1 yard equals 3 feet, 4 × 3 = 12, so the rope is 12 feet long.
Watch for
Here yard means a length unit, not the outdoor land beside a building. Square yards measure area, and cubic yards measure volume.
Common mix-up
A yard measures length; a square yard measures area.
Exact meaning
A yard (yd) is a unit of length equal to 3 feet, 36 inches, or exactly 0.9144 metre.