plural courts
often attributive
1
a
: the residence or establishment of a sovereign or similar dignitary
riding to the king's court
b
: a sovereign's formal assembly of councillors and officers
The king held a general court.
c
: the sovereign and officers and advisers who are the governing power
The court has decided against the alliance.
d
: the family and retinue of a sovereign
The court enjoyed the tournament.
e
: a reception held by a sovereign
2
a(1)
: a manor house or large building surrounded by usually enclosed grounds
Hampton Court
(2)
: motel
b
: an open space enclosed wholly or partly by buildings or circumscribed by a single building
the court at the center of the palace
c
: a quadrangular space walled or marked off for playing one of various games with a ball (such as tennis, handball, or basketball)
also
: a division of such a court
d
: a wide alley with only one opening onto a street
3
a
: an official assembly for the transaction of judicial business see also court-packing, pack the court
b
: a session of such a court
The court is now adjourned.
c
: a place (such as a chamber) for the administration of justice
sat quietly in the back of the court
see also take to court
d
: a judge or judges in session
also
: a faculty or agency of judgment or evaluation
… rest our case in the court of world opinion … —
Leonard H. Marks
Leonard H. Marks 4
a
: an assembly or board with legislative or administrative powers
b
5
: conduct or attention intended to win favor or dispel hostility : homage
pay court to the king
courted; courting; courts
1
2
a
: to seek the affections of
especially
: to seek to win a pledge of marriage from
b
of an animal
: to perform actions in order to attract for mating
a male bird courting a female
3
a
: to seek to attract (as by solicitous attention or offers of advantages)
college teams courting high school basketball stars
Both candidates were courting the independent voters.
b
: to seek an alliance with
1
: to engage in social activities leading to engagement and marriage
2
of an animal
: to engage in activity leading to mating
a pair of robins courting in the trees
Examples of court in a Sentence
Noun
Court is now in session.
Court is adjourned for the day.
There was a large group of protesters outside the court.
a lawyer who has appeared in courts around the country
The case is before the state's highest court.
She's a judge on an appellate court.
The prosecution has new evidence to submit to the court.
Please explain to the court what happened that night.
The court ruled the law unconstitutional.
The court reversed the lower court's decision.
Verb
The couple courted for two years before marrying.
He was courting his college sweetheart.
a pair of robins courting
The male will sometimes court the female for hours.
college teams courting high school basketball stars
The speech was clearly intended to court middle-class voters.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Clarey, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
In February 2025, a Turkish court sentenced him to more than 45,370 years in prison.
—Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Agassi then began courting Graf right off the court.
—Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for court
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
If police initiate a hold, the final decision to commit someone to involuntary treatment is in the hands of Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services and the courts.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
In February 2025, a Turkish court sentenced him to more than 45,370 years in prison.
—Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Nicklaus was portrayed as being courted by Golf Saudi in the early 2020s for a leadership role in the creation of LIV Golf, the would-be rival to the PGA Tour.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Agassi then began courting Graf right off the court.
—Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for court
Cite this Entry
“Court.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/court. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
court
1 of 2 noun
ˈkō(ə)rt 
ˈkȯ(ə)rt
1
a
: the residence of a ruler and especially a king or queen
b
: a ruler's formal assembly of advisers and officers as a governing body
c
: the family and followers of a ruler
2
a
: an open space completely or partly surrounded by buildings
b
: a space for playing a ball game
a tennis court
c
: a wide alley with only one opening onto a street
3
a
: an assembly for carrying out judicial business
b
: a session of a judicial assembly
court is now adjourned
c
: a building or room where legal cases are heard
d
: a judge in session
4
: attention designed to win favor
pay court to the king
court
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to try to gain
court favor
b
: to act so as to invite or provoke
court disaster
2
: to seek the affections or favor of
the candidate courted the voters
3
a
: to engage in a social relationship usually leading to marriage
b
: to engage in activity leading to mating
a pair of robins courting
Legal Definition
court
noun1
a
: an official assembly for the administration of justice : a unit of the judicial branch of government
the judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish—U.S. Constitution art. III
U.S. Constitution art. III
b
: a session of such a court
c
usually capitalized
: the Supreme Court of the United States
2
: a place (as a building, hall, or room) for the administration of justice
order in the court
3
: a judge or judges acting in official capacity
an issue to be decided by the court
the court may neither preside at nor attend the meeting of creditors—J. H. Williamson
J. H. Williamson4
usually capitalized
: a legislative body
the General Court of Massachusetts
5
: a body (as the International Court of Justice) exercising judicial powers over its members or the members of a body represented by it
an ecclesiastical court
Etymology
Noun
Old French, enclosed space, royal entourage, court of justice, from Latin cohort-, cohors farmyard, armed force, retinue
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