yard
UK: jɑːd | US: jɑːrd
n. an enclosed area of land, typically adjacent to a building, used for outdoor activities or storage
n. a unit of length equal to 3 feet (0.9144 meters)
n. (nautical) a spar slung across a ship's mast to support a sail
The word "yard" traces back to Old English geard, meaning "enclosure" or "fenced area," derived from Proto-Germanic gardaz. This root also gave rise to related words like "garden" and "orchard." Over time, "yard" expanded semantically to include the measurement unit (originally referring to the length of a rod or stick used for measuring) and the nautical term for a spar. The core idea of "boundary" or "delimited space" persists across all meanings.
The children played in the backyard all afternoon.
The fabric is sold by the yard.
The sailor adjusted the yard to catch more wind.
We built a fence around the yard to keep the dog safe.
The football field is 100 yards long.