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

Standing proudly in the middle of the courtyard is an enormous oak tree, stretching its branches out in all directions. — Jessica Jungbauer, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2026

There’s also a courtyard garden that boasts 34 feet of space for dining and lush landscaping. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2026

Across the courtyard sits a one-bedroom guest cottage sporting the same refined mountain home aesthetic. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2026

About 120 of its 348 rooms are ready to rent, starting at roughly $200 a night; the hotel also has a restaurant, lounge and courtyard pool. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 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