vineyard

American  

[vin-yerd] / ˈvɪn yərd /

noun

1. a plantation of grapevines, especially one producing grapes for winemaking.

2. a sphere of activity, especially on a high spiritual plane.

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vineyard British  

/ ˈvɪnjəd /

noun

1. a plantation of grapevines, esp where wine grapes are produced

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Other Word Forms

• vineyardist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of vineyard

1300–50; Middle English ( see vine, yard ²); replacing win ( e ) yard, Old English wīngeard

Explanation

If you dream of one day growing grapes and making wine in the South of France, you hope to work at a vineyard, another name for a farm where wine grapes are grown. The French tradition of wine making is what led English speakers to adopt a French term for "grape plantation," although in South Africa it is called a "wine farm." Around 1300, the Old English term wingeard was replaced with the word vineyard. The trickiest thing about the word is its pronunciation — the first syllable doesn't actually sound like "vine," but instead is pronounced "vin."

Example Sentences

It told the BBC that "Rachel's Vineyard UK is funded entirely through charitable giving within the UK and does not receive financial support from abroad".

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

The fifth project, Vineyard Wind, has filed a challenge to the Trump action in federal court in Massachusetts.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

Forté’s death is being investigated by the state medical examiner’s office in Massachusetts, per the Vineyard Gazette.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

“What I found myself doing most recently is honestly just feeling empowered,” Forté told Martha’s Vineyard Arts and Ideas.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

She also left books on the bedside table: Vanity Fair by Thackeray and Great Expectations by Dickens, plus The Insider’s Guide to Martha’s Vineyard.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart