noun
churchyard
CHURCH-yard/ˈtʃɜːrtʃjɑːrd/
Ground surrounding a church, often containing graves.
Gravestones stand in the grass of the churchyard.
Etymology
The “yard” is an enclosure or surrounding plot, joined to the word for a Christian place of worship. The compound names the adjoining ground, especially when used for burials.
In context
cross near the entrance to the church. There were six--four men, a woman, and a girl. In the road close by stood the motor-car which had brought them to the churchyard in the wake of the hearse
More examples
- They walked through the quiet churchyard after the service.
- A stone wall enclosed the churchyard.
- The poem describes leaves falling across the churchyard.
Forms
churchyard · churchyards
Similar words
- cemetery
- A cemetery is a burial ground; a churchyard is land around a church and may include graves.
- graveyard
- A graveyard contains graves; a churchyard may also include paths and other church grounds.