(in England) tenure of land or tenement in a town or city, which originally involved a fixed money rent
2.
(in Scotland) the tenure of land direct from the crown in Scottish royal burghs in return for watching and warding
Word origin
C14: from Medieval Latin burgāgium, from burgus, from Old English burg; see borough
burgage in American English
(ˈbɜrgɪdʒ)
noun
a former system of land or property tenure in towns, specif., in England, from an overlord for a yearly rental and, in Scotland, from the crown for watching and warding
Word origin
ME < OFr bourgage < ML burgagium < LL burgus, castle, fortress < Gmc *burgs: see borough