courtyard
Americannoun
-
courtyards
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of courtyard
Explanation
A courtyard is an area outside a building that's framed and somewhat enclosed by walls. Your friend might ask you to meet her in the courtyard of her apartment complex. In cities, courtyards provide small, private outdoor areas. Courtyards are often nestled between buildings, or tucked away behind them. For nearly as long as people have built houses and buildings, courtyards have existed — although in the past, they were used for keeping animals, cooking over an open fire, and sometimes even sleeping. The word dates from the 1550s, combining court, from the Latin cohors, "enclosed yard," and yard, from a Germanic root also meaning "enclosure."
Vocabulary lists containing courtyard
Guts
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
American Street
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Lesson 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Instead, he said, ICE has them go into a courtyard surrounded by four walls with an open ceiling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
Outside, the parcel is lined with dozens of palm trees to ensure complete privacy, while a dramatic gated courtyard provides an idyllic place to relax away from prying eyes.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Hundreds of organizers, supporters and residents convened in the stone courtyard of City Hall around 6 p.m.
From Salon ● Jun. 27, 2026
"The tickets are out of price. If they were cheaper, of course I would go. But now we're gonna watch the game in the courtyard with my husband and friends," she added.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
Michael didn’t realize how tense he was until he saw the courtyard near his building.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
In Iraq's holy city of Najaf, the majestic shrine of Imam Ali stands quiet, its vast courtyards no longer echoing with the multilingual whispers of pilgrims from before the Middle East war.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
Looming over the colorless town is its hulking circa-1385 monastery, extended in convent courtyards and stately chapels with lofty naves, offering dazzling displays of stained glass.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
Fans could previously wed at courtyards and ballrooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, at the Disneyland Hotel ballroom, in the Fantasyland Faire Garden and at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle Forecourt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2026
“Expansive terraces, meditation gardens, and hidden courtyards evoke a world-class resort ambiance, while infinity pools and a private boathouse complete its coastal allure,” the description noted.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 14, 2026
And swimming through the streets, hanging out in the courtyards, practicing combat with tridents and swords in the arena were dozens of mermen and mermaids—honest-to-goodness fish-people.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
