backyard

IPA/ˌbækˈjɑːd/
KK[bˈækjˌɑrd]IPA/ˌbækˈjɑːrd/

backyard — noun

  • backyardsingular
  • backyardsplural

1. an outdoor space directly behind a house, enclosed by walls, where the ground is

1.nounB1
Definition

an outdoor space directly behind a house, enclosed by walls, where the ground is paved or concreted rather than planted with grass.

Example

Mrs. Patel hung the wet sheets on a line in her tiny brick backyard.

in + possessive + backyard

The two boys kicked a football against the backyard wall until their mother shouted.

compound: backyard wall

Common collocations
  • tiny backyard
  • paved backyard
  • brick backyard
  • backyard wall
Synonyms
  • yard

    American English uses 'yard' for both grassed and paved areas

  • courtyard

    larger, often shared by several buildings

Antonyms
  • front yard

    the equivalent space in front of the house

Grammar Patterns

in the backyard

out in the backyard

Usage Note

Mainly British English. Distinguish from sense 2: a British backyard is paved and small; an American backyard is grassed and larger.

Common Mistakes

We planted roses in our backyard.' (in British English, where backyards are paved).
We planted roses in our back garden.
in British English use 'back garden' for a grassed area; 'backyard' is the paved space.

2. the open ground attached to the rear of a home, usually grassy and bordered by a

2.nounB1
Definition

the open ground attached to the rear of a home, usually grassy and bordered by a fence, where families relax, garden, or play outdoors.

Example

The Garcia kids built a treehouse in the big oak tree in their backyard.

in + possessive + backyard

Every Saturday, Dad fires up the grill and we eat dinner in the backyard.

collocation: in the backyard

Common collocations
  • big backyard
  • fenced backyard
  • play in the backyard
  • backyard barbecue
Synonyms
  • back garden

    British English for the same grassed area

  • yard

    American, less specific about which side of the house

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

in the backyard

out in the backyard

Usage Note

Mainly American English. Subject of 'have' is usually a household or family ('we have a big backyard'). Distinguish from sense 1 (British, paved); in this American sense, grass and trees are typical.

Common Mistakes

I sat at the backyard.
I sat in the backyard.
use 'in', not 'at', for being inside the space.
Idioms

in your (own) backyard

idiom

happening in or affecting the area very close to where you live or work, so that you cannot ignore it.

Most people support new wind farms until one is built in their own backyard.

The mayor promised the residents that no toxic waste site would be built in their backyard.

backyard — adjective

Word family

  • yard
    nounA2
  • back garden
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words describe outdoor space at the rear of a house, but they differ by region and by what is on the ground. In American English, 'backyard' is the standard word for the whole grassed area behind the house, often with trees, a fence, and space for kids to play. British speakers usually call that same grassed space the 'back garden', and reserve 'backyard' for a small paved area surrounded by walls. 'Yard' on its own is American and broader — it can refer to the front, side, or back of the property. A 'patio' is much smaller and more specific: a flat, paved area used for sitting and eating, often just outside the back door. So an American family might eat dinner on the patio in their backyard, while a British family eats in the back garden.

backyard ↗back gardenyard ↗patio ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • backyard barbecue
  • backyard pool
  • backyard fence
  • backyard shed

Phrases

  • in your own backyard
  • play in the backyard
  • have a backyard

Prepositions

  • in the backyard
  • out in the backyard
  • into the backyard
  • around the backyard

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

A simple compound formed in English by joining 'back' (Old English 'bæc', meaning the rear part) with 'yard' (Old English 'geard', meaning an enclosed piece of ground). The combined form 'backyard' became common in the late 1600s, first describing the small enclosed space behind a house. The figurative use, as in 'in your own backyard' for something happening close to home, grew in the 19th and 20th centuries. The adjective use, suggesting amateur or small-scale activity, is mostly 20th-century American.