courtyard

[ kawrt-yahrd, kohrt- ]

/ ˈkɔrtˌyɑrd, ˈkoʊrt- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR courtyard ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

RELATED WORDS

lawn, yard, patio

Nearby words

Origin of courtyard

First recorded in 1545–55; court + yard²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for courtyard

After our helicopter crashed in the courtyard, Jimbo and I rushed inside the house.
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She slow-motion jogs through the courtyard, paints his portrait, and carves his name into a tree.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Blank Space’: Hell Hath No Fury Like A Tay-Tay Scorned|Sujay Kumar|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“My father will burn this all down,” says Mohammad waving his hand over the two homes that share a courtyard.
Gaza ‘Mass Execution’ Investigated|Jesse Rosenfeld|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I took a sip of water and settled into my seat in the No. 13 courtyard.
The Director Isn’t Done Yet: An Interview With Steven Soderbergh|Andrew Romano|August 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Martin was out there judging a cosplay contest as part of Courtyard by Marriott's Super Hero HQ.
George R.R. Martin on ‘Game of Thrones,’ That Controversial Rape Scene, and His Writing Progress|Annaliza Savage|July 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The pastor flushed, turned away, and hurried into the courtyard without a word.
More Tales by Polish Authors|Various
She passed out across the courtyard and mingled with the stream of pedestrians.
The Sins of Sverac Bablon|Sax Rohmer
A bundle of straw, tied with a rope, is brought into the courtyard and left to stand there near the Yule logs.
Balder The Beautiful, Vol. I.|Sir James George Frazer
Then they are all herded together, and every place is crowded with occupants; even the courtyard and terraces are full.
A Visit to the Holy Land, Egypt, and Italy|Ida Pfeiffer
Half-an-hour later the two men met again as they dismounted in the courtyard of the palace.
A Modern Mercenary|Kate Prichard and Hesketh Vernon Hesketh-Prichard

British Dictionary definitions for courtyard

courtyard

/ (ˈkɔːtˌjɑːd) /

noun

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

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

Word Origin and History for courtyard

courtyard

1550s, from court (n.) + yard (n.1).