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courtyard

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

noun

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


courtyard British  
/ ˈkɔːtˌjɑːd /

noun

  1. 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

Etymology

Origin of courtyard

First recorded in 1545–55; court + 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.

The dwelling offers ample room for a Kardahsian-Jenner-sized brood, boasting eight bedrooms and eight full bathrooms, including an attached guest suite with a private entrance, kitchenette, sitting area, and courtyard.

From MarketWatch

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

Looming over the colorless town is its hulking circa-1385 monastery, extended in convent courtyards and stately chapels with lofty naves, offering dazzling displays of stained glass.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

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