courtyard

American  

[kawrt-yahrd, kohrt-] / ˈkɔrtˌyɑrd, ˈkoʊrt- /

noun

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

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courtyard British  

/ ˈkɔːtˌjɑːd /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of courtyard

First recorded in 1545–55; court + yard ²

Example Sentences

The estate later passed to aviation pioneer, Thomas Sopwith, in 1919, and by the 1960s, the tunnel had been repurposed to provide road access through the estate to the Horsley Towers courtyard.

From BBC

Opening in 2028, the Broad expansion will contain 70% more gallery space, two outdoor courtyards, a live programming space and views of the museum’s art storage vault.

From Los Angeles Times

We climbed down to find ourselves in an enormous courtyard surrounded by a high brick wall.

From Literature

By then we had come to the Chinese Opera House, an outdoor stage facing a courtyard full of benches.

From Literature

Public transport connects almost every corner of this tiny country, lush greenery lines the highways and spills out of towering buildings and courtyards, while the pavements are wide, often sheltered, and free of litter.

From BBC

Related Words

• lawn
• patio
• yard