courtyard
UK: ˈkɔːt.jɑːd | US: ˈkɔːrt.jɑːrd
n. an open space enclosed by walls or buildings, typically adjacent to a house or castle.
The word "courtyard" combines "court," derived from Old French cort (Latin cohors meaning "enclosure" or "retinue"), and "yard," from Old English geard ("enclosed ground"). Both morphemes historically denote bounded spaces, reflecting the word’s literal meaning of a walled or structured open area. The fusion in Middle English emphasized functional unity—a "yard" within a "court," often for communal or domestic use.
The children played tag in the sunlit courtyard.
The castle’s courtyard was paved with ancient stones.
She planted a small garden in the apartment building’s shared courtyard.
The hotel’s central courtyard featured a tranquil fountain.
Guards patrolled the palace courtyard day and night.