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churchyard

American  
[church-yahrd] / ˈtʃɜrtʃˌjɑrd /

noun

  1. the yard or ground adjoining a church, often used as a graveyard.


churchyard British  
/ ˈtʃɜːtʃˌjɑːd /

noun

  1. the grounds surrounding a church, usually used as a graveyard

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of churchyard

1125–75; Middle English chirche yeard; see church, yard 2


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

At Västerhus, for instance, men and women were generally buried on different sides of the churchyard.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026

As the funeral procession approached the churchyard, a group of women tossed rose petals and rice.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

In the early 19th century, Americans usually died at home and were buried in the local churchyard or on family-owned land.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026

Jules said Peters' ashes will be buried in the churchyard across the road from the pub she runs with her sons.

From BBC ● May 29, 2025

We circled the churchyard carefully before finding an entrance route.

From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat

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