Word
courthouse
Phoneticscourt·house, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɔɹtˌhaʊs/
UK/kˈɔːthaʊs/
Definitions
01building for legal trials
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Law
n. a building where judges and lawyers work and where legal trials happen.
n. a public building that houses courts of law and judicial chambers.
“The lawyer walked up the stone steps of the courthouse to meet her client.”
“The historic courthouse underwent a massive renovation to update its security systems while preserving the original wood-panelled courtrooms.”
02county government building
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun American English
n. in the US, the main building for a county's government offices.
n. the administrative centre of a county, typically housing the local government offices and records.
“We had to go to the courthouse to get a copy of our marriage license.”
“In many rural American towns, the courthouse serves as the primary hub for both legal proceedings and essential administrative services like property registration.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From court + house.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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