noun.
A landholder in New Netherland who, under Dutch colonial rule, was granted proprietary and manorial rights to a large tract of land in exchange for bringing 50 new settlers to the colony.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
noun.
One who received a grant of a certain tract of land and manorial privileges, with the right to entail, under the old Dutch governments of New York and New Jersey.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
noun.
One of the proprietors of certain tracts of land with manorial privileges and right of entail, under the old Dutch governments of New York and New Jersey.