courthouse
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a building where judges and lawyers work and where legal trials happen.
a public building that houses courts of law and judicial chambers.
Simple“The lawyer walked up the stone steps of the courthouse to meet her client.”
In context“The historic courthouse underwent a massive renovation to update its security systems while preserving the original wood-panelled courtrooms.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
in the US, the main building for a county's government offices.
the administrative centre of a county, typically housing the local government offices and records.
Simple“We had to go to the courthouse to get a copy of our marriage license.”
In context“In many rural American towns, the courthouse serves as the primary hub for both legal proceedings and essential administrative services like property registration.”
Synonymscounty seatcivic centre
From court + house.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.