courtyard

[ kawrt-yahrd, kohrt- ]

noun

1. a court open to the sky, especially one enclosed on all four sides.

courtyard

/ ˈkɔːtˌjɑːd /

noun

1. an open area of ground surrounded by walls or buildings; court

Word History and Origins

Origin of courtyard¹

First recorded in 1545–55; court + yard ²

Example Sentences

Time is frozen on the face of the antique clocks positioned in the courtyards.

From Los Angeles Times

Refoxos, Spain—When the researcher arrives, Herminia is already waiting for him, calmly seated on a chair in her courtyard, a leafy shelter providing protection from the unseasonably hot Sun.

From Science Magazine

They followed makeshift signs to a small courtyard, where scores of volunteer lawyers, translators and other staff helped them apply for a little-known federal program that offers an unusual — and probably fleeting — reprieve from deportation.

From Los Angeles Times

It was at least another hour before CHP officers began to clear the rest of the courtyard near the encampment.

From Los Angeles Times

BBC Verify has been able to match the location of this footage to the courtyard of a mosque in Al Seriha.

From BBC

Related Words

• lawn
• patio
• yard