forecourt

[ fawr-kawrt, fohr-kohrt ]

noun

1. Tennis. the part of either half of a tennis court that lies between the net and the line that marks the inbounds limit of a service. Compare backcourt ( def 1 ).
2. a courtyard before the entrance to a building or group of buildings.

forecourt

/ ˈfɔːˌkɔːt /

noun

1. a courtyard in front of a building, as one in a filling station
2. Also calledfront court the front section of the court in tennis, badminton, etc, esp the area between the service line and the net

Word History and Origins

Origin of forecourt¹

First recorded in 1525–35; fore- + court

Example Sentences

Another 20-year-old man was chased across a garage forecourt before the dog attacked him.

From BBC

Throngs of people have packed the harbourside forecourt, where the royal couple are due to visit on Tuesday afternoon.

From BBC

Asda disputed the findings, saying they covered its whole estate, including convenience shops, and that it still had the best prices at supermarket forecourts.

From BBC

Having stood the test of time, it seems rather fitting to start the marathon from its paved forecourt.

From Seattle Times

From below the windows in the forecourt, the military band struck up “God Save the Queen.”

From Literature