What is the term for an easement that burdens one piece of land for the benefit of another?

An appurtenant easement is a type of easement that involves two properties: the dominant estate, which benefits from the easement, and the servient estate, which is burdened by it. This relationship is key because the easement is tied to the land rather than an individual. For example, if a property owner has a right-of-way easement to cross a neighbor's property to access their own, the property benefiting from the easement (the dominant estate) has a legal right to use a specific portion of the neighbor's property (the servient estate). This easement will typically transfer with the title of the dominant estate, maintaining its benefits even if the property changes ownership.

The other types of easements mentioned, such as a grant easement, prescriptive easement, and easement in gross, serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics. A grant easement generally refers to an easement that has been specifically conveyed and does not necessarily imply a burden-benefit relationship between two separate parcels. A prescriptive easement arises from continuous and open use without permission over a statutory period, while an easement in gross benefits a person or entity rather than another piece of land, making it distinct from appurtenant easements.