French word

cour

Pronunciation

IPA/kuʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncourtyard

Example

Les enfants jouent dans la cour.

The children are playing in the courtyard.

Illustration for cour (courtyard)

More examples

Les élèves attendent dans la cour de récréation avant la classe.

The students wait in the schoolyard before class.

Core concept

A building-ringed outdoor space where children play and people gather.

Common phrases

  • cour de récréation

    schoolyard

  • cour intérieure

    inner courtyard

Similar words

jardin: An outdoor space planted with flowers and greenery for walks and enjoyment.
place: An open public space in a town or village for gathering and passing through.
terrasse: A flat outdoor area beside a building or cafe with tables and chairs for relaxing.
patio: A small paved outdoor area beside a house, usually surfaced with stone or tile.

Definition in French

Espace découvert, souvent utilisé comme aire de jeu ou de rassemblement, notamment dans les écoles ou les immeubles.

Word origin

French cour comes through Old French cort from Latin cohors, meaning an enclosed area, and it retains this basic sense of a bounded open place.

Usage tips

  • Cour is feminine, so standard usage has la cour; court means 'short' and cours can be a different noun or verb form.

Other meanings

  • schoolyardnoun
  • yardnoun
  • courtnoun

Word lists with this word