courthouse

noun

court·​house ˈkȯrt-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce courthouse (audio)
1
a
: a building in which courts of law are regularly held
b
: the principal building in which county offices are housed
2

Examples of courthouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pam’s family and friends gathered in the courthouse in Broomfield, Colorado, just outside Boulder in April of 2019. Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 27 June 2025 They were put in a room inside the courthouse, where they were held for hours as the children cried, according to the complaint. Julia Marnin, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2025 Despite facing zero charges from the feds alongside Combs, testimony at the lower Manhattan federal courthouse indicates Khorram was deeply entrenched in many of the allegations discussed at trial. Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2025 In California, that has meant arrests of people in courthouses, on farms and in Home Depot parking lots. Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for courthouse

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of courthouse was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Courthouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courthouse. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

courthouse

noun
court·​house ˈkō(ə)rt-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce courthouse (audio)
ˈkȯ(ə)rt-
: a building in which courts of law are held or county offices are located

Legal Definition

courthouse

noun
court·​house
: a building in which court is regularly held

More from Merriam-Webster on courthouse

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