backyard

American  

[bak-yahrd] / ˈbækˈyɑrd /

noun

1. the portion of a lot or building site behind a house, structure, or the like, sometimes fenced, walled, etc.

2. a familiar or nearby area; neighborhood.

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Etymology

Origin of backyard

First recorded in 1650–60; back ¹ + yard ²

Explanation

The area behind your house, especially if it's covered in grass or other plants, is a backyard. Some people have decks or patios in their backyard. If you live in a city, you'll consider yourself lucky to have a tiny backyard where you can sit on a sunny day. In the suburbs, houses often have identical, fenced-in backyards. And in the country, your backyard might extend for acres. The word is sometimes hyphenated, back-yard, or spelled as two separate words. It's been in use since the 1600s, combining back and yard, from the Old English geard, "enclosure, garden, or court."

Example Sentences

This means community gardens, rooftops, canal banks, sports fields and backyard streets could be part of building the interconnected hub of urban wildlife, according to the organisers, Initiative Earth.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

A hot air balloon had to make an emergency landing in the backyard of a Temecula home.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

“The massive west-facing backyard is graced by a magnificent Mulberry tree the kind that tree house dreams are made of!”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

A massive sinkhole nearly 30 feet deep swallowed his backyard, coming within 3 feet of the house.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

“It is so you! Freckles over on Pinder Lane saw you slipping out of a backyard with a paintbrush.”

From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm

Related Words

• courtyard
• garden
• grass
• lawn
• patio
• terrace
• yard