What does "land grant" mean?

A grant of land by the US government to encourage the development of western states, especially land transportation and practical higher education.

Land grant

Common synonyms include: appanage, demises, government-funded, grant deed, grant of land, grant-funded.

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A grant of land by the US government to encourage the development of western states, especially land transportation and practical higher education. US
2
a grant of public land (as to a railway or college) wordnet

Circa 1860.