auto court

noun

1. an accessway for cars and pedestrians that is paved and that ends in a court or courtyard area.
2. Older Use. motel.

Word History and Origins

Origin of auto court¹

First recorded in 1930–35 auto court fordef 2

Example Sentences

The Century Plaza Towers got new glassed-in lobbies and a valet-staffed auto court on Century Park East, effectively creating a new entrance.

From Los Angeles Times

The auto court, which opened in 1937, fell into disrepair when motorists started to abandon the Mother Road for the national highway system.

From Washington Post

With a rich history — it once served as a summer encampment for Native Americans — the 486-acre property was developed in the 1930s as a Depression-era “auto court,” an affordable vacation spot for families.

From Seattle Times

Early in "Travels" Steinbeck bunks at an auto court in Maine and rages against the sterility of it.

From Salon

All those levels require a lot of stairs, as you might imagine, from the welcoming sunken auto court to the exquisitely tiered backyard terrace — with one almost-unimaginably OMG entry stairway in-between: locally milled walnut treads, risers and stringers bracketed by meticulously hand-wrought iron.

From Seattle Times