courtyard

American  

[kawrt-yahrd, kohrt-] / ˈkɔrtˌyɑrd, ˈkoʊrt- /

noun

1. a court open to the sky, especially one enclosed on all four sides.

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courtyard British  

/ ˈkɔːtˌjɑːd /

noun

1. an open area of ground surrounded by walls or buildings; court

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Etymology

Origin of courtyard

First recorded in 1545–55; court + yard ²

Explanation

A courtyard is an area outside a building that's framed and somewhat enclosed by walls. Your friend might ask you to meet her in the courtyard of her apartment complex. In cities, courtyards provide small, private outdoor areas. Courtyards are often nestled between buildings, or tucked away behind them. For nearly as long as people have built houses and buildings, courtyards have existed — although in the past, they were used for keeping animals, cooking over an open fire, and sometimes even sleeping. The word dates from the 1550s, combining court, from the Latin cohors, "enclosed yard," and yard, from a Germanic root also meaning "enclosure."

Example Sentences

Instead, visitors pass through double wooden gates into the courtyard, then through glass pocket doors into the great room and kitchen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Members of the Republican Guard carried the casket draped in a French flag into the courtyard to the beat of a drum before Macron read a eulogy, saying Jospin fought for justice and freedom.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

From inside the school's courtyard, four plumes of black smoke can be seen, with two smaller ones pouring out of the windows of the top floor of the main school building.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

In the courtyard, a bodybuilder posed as a live version of Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

As she got into position, she made the mistake of looking down at the courtyard below.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Related Words

• lawn
• patio
• yard