Patta
/ˈpæt.ə/noun
A deed or written grant recording rights to land, especially in South Asia.
Did you know?In colonial India, a patta functioned as an official land-tenure document, turning a written strip of material into legally recognized authority over territory.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
paṭṭa
“Cloth, strip, band, or piece of material”
Middle Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
paṭṭa
“A strip, tablet, or written record”
Medieval India
Persianate Indian usage
paṭṭā
“A document or grant connected with land rights”
18th Century
Hindi
paṭṭā
“A lease, title, or written land grant”
18th–19th Century
Anglo-Indian English
patta
“An Indian deed or document granting land rights”
Modern English
English
patta
“A land deed or written grant, chiefly in South Asian contexts”