The ground or courtyard surrounding and immediately adjacent to a dwelling house, including outbuildings and fenced areas that form part of the domestic property.
From Old French courtilage, from curt- (court) plus -ilage (a diminutive suffix). Originally referred to a small court or courtyard, and in English law it became a technical term for the land immediately around a house.
Curtilage matters in law because it defines where your house's protection legally extends—your backyard has different legal rights than the sidewalk, and this 800-year-old word is still used in court cases today!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.