Courts

The word “Courts” means plural of court: legal tribunals, sports playing areas, or enclosed yards. In plain terms, more than one court — see the entry for "court.".

Here is “Courts” used in a sentence: “The city built new tennis courts in the park.”

“Courts” is a noun.

“Courts” is a fairly common word in modern English.

The word covers several distinct things. Legal courts are tribunals where judges hear cases and settle disputes. Sports courts are the marked playing areas for games like tennis, basketball, and squash. Courts can also mean enclosed yards or courtyards, open spaces surrounded by walls or buildings.

A courtyard is one specific type of court: an open, enclosed area surrounded by walls or buildings. Court on its own is far broader, since it can mean a legal tribunal, a sports playing area, or even a royal household. Every courtyard is a court, but not every court is a courtyard.

In everyday use the two overlap, but there is a shade of difference. A court is a formal part of the judicial system, presided over by judges. A tribunal is often a more specialised body that rules on particular matters, such as employment or tax, sometimes following less formal procedure than a court.

Examples span the word's meanings: a supreme court that hears major legal cases, a tennis or basketball court where games are played, and a courtyard enclosed by the walls of a building. Each is a different kind of court, united by the idea of a defined, bounded space or body.