curtilage

American  

[kur-tl-ij] / ˈkɜr tl ɪdʒ /

noun

Law.

1. the area of land occupied by a dwelling and its yard and outbuildings, actually enclosed or considered as enclosed.

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curtilage British  

/ ˈkɜːtɪlɪdʒ /

noun

1. the enclosed area of land adjacent to a dwelling house

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Etymology

Origin of curtilage

1250–1300; Middle English courtelage < Anglo-French; Old French cortillage, equivalent to cortil yard ( cort court + -il diminutive suffix) + -age -age

Explanation

Curtilage is a fancy legal term for the enclosed land that surrounds a building and belongs with it as part of the same property. The term comes from the Old French word cortil, meaning a "little court, walled garden, or yard." It's an important legal distinction for many reasons: In some American states, evidence improperly gathered from the curtilage of a property is considered as inadmissible as that gathered from inside a building on the property. In other cases, a property owner may legally defend himself against home invasion within the curtilage of his property, not just within the building itself.

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