The concept of acquiring title to a property by possession after a period of time is known as?

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Acquiring title by possession after a period of time is adverse possession. This concept means that if someone actually occupies land and uses it in a way that is open, continuous, and exclusive for a legally required period, and the possession is without the owner's permission (hostile or adverse), they can eventually obtain legal ownership. The possession must be visible and ongoing enough that the true owner could be aware of it, and it must be continuous for the full statutory period. If these conditions are met, a court can recognize the occupant as the new owner, effectively transferring title.

An easement by prescription would create a right to use someone else’s land rather than ownership itself. A license is simply permission to enter or use the property and can be revoked. A quiet title action is a court process to resolve or confirm who holds the title, not a mechanism that itself transfers ownership through possession.