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

More interesting is the al fresco cafe, which is an extension of the restaurant in the hotel’s front courtyard. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026

Built on a lakeside island as a summer home and architectural laboratory, it is best known for its courtyard walls, where Aalto tested different brick patterns, materials and construction techniques. — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Their beams cut through smoke and darkness, while charred cars were parked in the street and in apartment courtyards. — Greg Myre, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026

The neighbor says McGhee was sometimes seen in the courtyard with a knife. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 31 July 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