courthouse

noun

court·​house ˈkȯrt-ˌhau̇s 

1

a

: a building in which courts of law are regularly held

b

: the principal building in which county offices are housed

2

: county seat

Examples of courthouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Counties first had sheriffs, jails and courthouses but then hospitals and schools. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 July 2026

But immigration advocates say the agency has increasingly targeted people traveling to and from county courthouses in Illinois, describing the arrests as part of an effort to meet enforcement quotas. — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026

The two families were separated on opposite sides, and afterward, Watson’s family was instructed to leave the courthouse and drive away before Sayers’ family was released from the courtroom. — Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 25 July 2026

The tree in Athens isn’t likely to make it through the construction of a new $225 million courthouse, despite some interest in preserving the piece of history hiding in plain sight. — Cassidy Alexander, AJC.com, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for courthouse

• alehouse
• almshouse
• backhouse
• baghouse
• bakehouse
• bathhouse
• bauhaus
• blockhouse
• boathouse
• brewhouse
• bunkhouse
• clubhouse

Kids Definition

courthouse

noun

court·​house ˈkō(ə)rt-ˌhau̇s 

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