courthouse

noun

court·​house ˈkȯrt-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce courthouse (audio)
1
a
: a building in which courts of law are regularly held
b
: the principal building in which county offices are housed
2
: county seat

Examples of courthouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The building did a stint as the county courthouse earlier in the 20th century before it was purchased and restored to its former opulence by the Savannah hotel developer Richard Kessler. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2026 That could prove a challenging result for Skydance outside Martínez-Olguín’s Oakland courthouse. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026 In this square was a century-old courthouse, and surrounding that, a Woolworth’s, department stores and mining company offices whose names are still chiseled into stone edifices. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 Keep the notice out of the adjuster’s inbox and away from the courthouse. — Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for courthouse

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of courthouse was in the 15th century

Rhymes for courthouse

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Browse Nearby Words

court holy water
courthouse
courtier
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Cite this Entry

“Courthouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courthouse. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

courthouse

noun
court·​house ˈkō(ə)rt-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce courthouse (audio)
ˈkȯ(ə)rt-
: a building in which courts of law are held or county offices are located

Legal Definition

courthouse

noun
court·​house
: a building in which court is regularly held
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