the area of ground at the back of a house, often used for relaxing, playing, or gardening
The children played tag in the sunny backyard after school.
Grandpa set up a small table in the backyard to paint the sunset.
✦ back + yard, first recorded in American English in the mid-18th century to describe the piece of land behind a dwelling.
a place that is very near to someone’s home, country, or area of responsibility
The tech startup emerged in the big company’s own backyard without them noticing.
Wildfires in our national park remind us that climate threats can strike in our own backyard.
✦ Figurative use developed in the early 20th century, transferring the idea of a private domestic space to one’s immediate surroundings or sphere of influence.
done at home and often by amateurs rather than professionals
Jason runs a small backyard brewery that produces craft ales for local fairs.
Her backyard robotics project won the school’s innovation prize.
✦ Attributive use developed mid-20th century to describe hobbies and small-scale activities carried out in one’s own backyard.
