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courthouse

American  
[kawrt-hous, kohrt-] / ˈkɔrtˌhaʊs, ˈkoʊrt- /

noun

plural

courthouses

  1. a building in which courts of law are held.

  2. a county seat.

courthouse British  
/ ˈkɔːtˌhaʊs /

noun

  1. a public building in which courts of law are held

"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 courthouse

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at court, house

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.

Altman, his former protégé turned adversary, was present for Thursday's exchanges and left the courthouse shortly after Musk finished.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

Then on Wednesday, Comey made the obligatory trek to a federal courthouse, appearing before a judge.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

I represent another man in the same courthouse.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

“Split-screen” canvases depict civic landmarks — City Hall, the courthouse, a high school and the local library — in two temporal states.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Candles were lit in the courthouse as the jury left the room to decide Guiteau’s fate.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.