courtyard

noun

court·​yard ˈkȯrt-ˌyärd 

: a court or enclosure adjacent to a building (such as a house or palace)

Synonyms of courtyard

• patio
• quadrangle
• enclosure
• yard

Examples of courtyard in a Sentence

The apartment overlooks a courtyard.

a series of lunchtime concerts in the museum's open-air courtyard

Recent Examples on the Web

With mannequins dotting the courtyard, the Italian brand made a statement. —Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 June 2026

Out back, a secluded courtyard and soaking pool await. —Sierra Vandervort, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2026

Early yesterday, as Argentina sealed a 3-0 victory over Algeria, hundreds of fans gathered on the courtyard lawn of Beijing’s Argentine Embassy to cheer the team on. —Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 June 2026

With her fingers, Guadalupe Espinoza lightly traced the lettering engraved on a slanted monument wedged alongside the courtyard at the LA Plaza de Culturas y Artes. —Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for courtyard

• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard
• debarred
• diehard
• disbarred

Kids Definition

courtyard

noun

court·​yard -ˌyärd 

: a court or enclosure next to a building