barnyard

American  

[bahrn-yahrd] / ˈbɑrnˌyɑrd /

noun

1. Also called barnlot.  a yard next to or surrounding a barn.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or typical of a barnyard.

   barnyard noises; simple paintings of barnyard life.

2. indecent; smutty; vulgar.

   His barnyard humor made us all blush.

barnyard British  

/ ˈbɑːnˌjɑːd /

noun

1. a yard adjoining a barn, in which farm animals are kept

2. (modifier) belonging to or characteristic of a barnyard

3. (modifier) crude or earthy

   barnyard humour

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Etymology

Origin of barnyard

First recorded in 1505–15; barn ¹ + yard ²

Explanation

A barnyard is a fenced-in area on a farm, usually next to a barn, which sometimes contains goats, chickens, or other farm animals. You can also call a barnyard a "farmyard." On many farms, animals are moved throughout the day from one area to another — in a barn to be milked, or in a pasture to graze on grass, for example. A barnyard gives farmers a place close to farm buildings where animals can be kept safely. In E.B. White's beloved children's book "Charlotte's Web," Wilbur the pig lives out most of his happy life in a barnyard on a small farm.

Example Sentences

Reuters reports that they’re resorting to barnyard language to attack Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s new prime minister.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

I learned the many shades of stink — from barnyard funk to gym sock to overripe fruit — and how to spot the difference.

From Salon • Jul. 6, 2025

While he speaks to me from his home in Sierra Leone, a rooster crows in the background, punctuating his sentences like a barnyard hype man.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2025

Speaking from the stage at a 1995 concert in Memphis, Jackson described her music as “anywhere from a barnyard disaster to classical.”

From New York Times • Jan. 6, 2024

A man of immense dignity and achievement, a lifelong devout Christian, and a man with a dangerous heart condition, was treated like a barnyard animal by men who were not fit to tie his shoes.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela