A college courtyard is an outdoor area of a college or university, typically surrounded by buildings. It is often referred to as a QUAD, which is a four-letter word, and can also be known as a PATIO, atrial, ATRIUM, or peristyle, all of which are five, six, and nine-letter words respectively. These terms refer to different types of courtyards, with the QUAD being the most common. The PATIO is a paved area, the atrial and ATRIUM are both roofed areas, and the peristyle is a colonnaded courtyard.