patio
Americannoun
plural
patios-
an area, usually paved, adjoining a house and used as an area for outdoor lounging, dining, etc.
-
a courtyard, especially of a house, enclosed by low buildings or walls.
noun
-
an open inner courtyard, esp one in a Spanish or Spanish-American house
-
an area adjoining a house, esp one that is paved and used for outdoor activities
Etymology
Origin of patio
1820–30, < Spanish, Old Spanish: courtyard, perhaps originally open area; compare Medieval Latin patium meadow, pasturage, perhaps derivative of Latin *patitus, past participle of patēre to lie open. See patent
Explanation
A patio is a space for sitting outside that's usually paved. Your neighbors' patio might be paved with bricks and decorated with flowers in pots. Some patios are paved with stone or concrete slabs that together form a sort of outdoor floor. You can also call this area a terrace, verandah, or courtyard. A patio is usually located beside or behind a house or apartment building, although some public buildings also have patios — a restaurant might have a patio for outdoor seating, for example. Patio means "court open to the sky" in Spanish, from the Old Provençal pati, "communal pasture."
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.
This spring, just outside the dining room, Shahniani will add the Expoterrace, a relaxing patio with a fountain, waterfalls and lush plants inspired by Living with the Land at Epcot in Florida.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
The dwelling sits on a 1.4-acre parcel that is home to a glittering swimming pool and spa, an enormous patio, an outdoor kitchen, and a fire pit area.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
In addition to the trailer, they hit a patio area and a nursery room wall.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
"So I stopped opening the windows," she explained, describing how one had also been found dead on her patio.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
When I was finished, Mrs. DiAngelo fed me lunch—a sandwich, chips, and lemonade—on her patio.
From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
