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

For the 5,500 local fans with tickets to attend -- the lucky ones among a lottery entered by 33,000 -- optimism for the tournament about to kick off in their backyard was even brighter.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

“To win in basically my backyard would be super cool,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

Moving outside, the property features a stunning backyard space, with a large swimming pool and built-in spa, a paved seating area, and a covered patio with plenty of room for outdoor dining.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

At the same time, Primary raised larger funds, hired a bigger team and developed more tech tools that all enabled it to more easily invest outside of its backyard, Sun said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

A few minutes later Aunt Gertrude reappeared in the backyard.

From "Hopping Mad (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #4)" by Franklin W. Dixon

Related Words

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