forecourt
|fore-court|
🇺🇸
/ˈfɔrkɔrt/
🇬🇧
/ˈfɔːkɔːt/
open area in front (of a building)
Etymology
'forecourt' originates from Old English elements and Old French/Latin influence: the element 'fore' (Old English 'fore') meant 'before' and 'court' (via Old French 'cort' from Latin 'cohors') meant 'yard' or 'enclosure'.
'forecourt' was formed in Middle English by combining 'fore' + 'court' to denote the front yard or enclosure of a building; the parts trace back to Old English 'fore' and Old French 'cort' (from Latin 'cohors').
Initially it meant simply the front enclosed yard of a building; over time the term also came to denote functional front areas such as the refuelling area of a petrol station.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an open area in front of a building, often paved or enclosed; a front yard or entrance space.
They waited on the forecourt before the cinema doors opened.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/05 01:31