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junkyard

/ˌdʒʌŋkˈjɑrd/
/ˈdʒʌŋkjɑd/
IPA guide

Other forms: junkyards

A junkyard is a place where garbage is kept, especially scrap metal, until it's sold. Most of the trash in a junkyard can be reused or recycled.

Piles of rusted metal and smashed bodies of old cars are common sights at a junkyard. The word clearly comes from the junk, or trash, that's stored there — and although it is undeniably junky, it's also got some value to companies that recycle metal. Junkyards are also called "wrecking yards" or "scrapyards." A "junkyard dog" is a guard dog that keeps watch overnight in case thieves try to steal valuable metal.

Definitions of junkyard
  1. noun
    a field where junk is collected and stored for resale
    see moresee less
    type of:
    yard
    a tract of land enclosed for particular activities (sometimes paved and usually associated with buildings)
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