What term refers to an easement that pertains to a person or entity rather than specific land?

An easement in gross is defined as an easement that benefits a specific person or entity rather than a particular parcel of land. This type of easement is not tied to any dominant estate but instead serves the interests of an individual or organization, allowing them certain rights over someone else's property. For instance, a utility company may have an easement in gross to run power lines across private lands; the easement is linked to the utility company, and not to a specific property that the company owns.

In contrast, an appurtenant easement is tied to a specific parcel of land (the dominant estate) and allows the owner of that land to use another parcel (the servient estate). A negative easement typically restricts a property owner from doing something on their land that could infringe on the rights of another, and a public easement usually allows the general public to use a specific area, such as a road or pathway, without personal ownership. Hence, understanding the distinction between easement types clarifies why an easement in gross is the correct term in this scenario.