forecourt

American  

[fawr-kawrt, fohr-kohrt] / ˈfɔrˌkɔrt, ˈfoʊrˌkoʊrt /

noun

1. Tennis. the part of either half of a tennis court that lies between the net and the line that marks the inbounds limit of a service.

2. a courtyard before the entrance to a building or group of buildings.

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forecourt British  

/ ˈfɔːˌkɔːt /

noun

1. a courtyard in front of a building, as one in a filling station

2. Also called: front court.  the front section of the court in tennis, badminton, etc, esp the area between the service line and the net

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Etymology

Origin of forecourt

First recorded in 1525–35; fore- + court

Example Sentences

"Wholesale fuel costs are now significantly lower than they were at the start of the month, so forecourt prices should begin to come down," said the RAC's head of policy, Simon Williams.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Executives from forecourt operators and firms including Asda, BP, ExxonMobil and Shell were called to Downing Street for talks with Ed Miliband and finance minister Rachel Reeves.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

When lorry driver Rod Quaite pulled up to the forecourt of a supermarket to fill up with diesel last weekend he found it had run out.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

The plan calls for the forecourt to become “the programmatic heart of the campus” that “serves as the entry into the renovated hospital and functions as a community porch, inviting engagement and interaction.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 28, 2025

The two policemen whose car drew up on the gravel forecourt a little later asked a lot of questions, to which neither Elinor nor Meggie had many answers.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke