A patio is a paved outdoor area next to a house, usually in the backyard, where people gather to relax, eat, or play. Think of it as an outdoor room: families might put tables and chairs on their patio for summer dinners, or arrange comfortable furniture for reading in the sunshine.

Patios are typically made from concrete, brick, stone, or tiles laid flat on the ground. Unlike a deck, which is a raised wooden platform, a patio sits right at ground level. Some patios have roofs or coverings for shade, while others stay completely open to the sky.

The word comes from Spanish, where it originally meant an inner courtyard in a house. Spanish and Mexican homes traditionally had patios in the center, open to the sky but surrounded by the house on all sides. American homes adapted the idea into the backyard patio many people know today.

A patio gives you a dedicated outdoor space that's more comfortable than sitting on grass and easier to keep clean. You might grill hamburgers on a patio, do homework at a patio table on a nice day, or host a birthday party there. Some apartment buildings have shared patios where all the residents can gather.