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

In the courtyard, that vision is already beginning to take shape.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Giant red lanterns adorned the outdoor courtyard, and the guests inside treated themselves to food stalls akin to a Taiwanese night market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

It appeared without fanfare on Sunday in a courtyard in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a part of the White House campus in Washington.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 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

Really I’m waiting in the courtyard, looking for those boys.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Related Words

• lawn
• patio
• yard