Veranda vs. Patio — What's the Difference?

A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.Although the form verandah is correct and very common, some authorities prefer the version without an "h" (the Concise Oxford English Dictionary gives the "h" version as a variant and The Guardian Style Guide says "veranda not verandah").

A patio (, from Spanish: patio [ˈpatjo]; "courtyard", "forecourt", "yard") is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a residence and is typically paved. In Australia the term is expanded to include roofed structures such as a veranda, which provides protection from sun and rain.

A porch or balcony, usually roofed and often partly enclosed, extending along the outside of a building. Also called regionally gallery.

An outdoor space for dining or recreation that adjoins a residence and is often paved.

A gallery, platform, or balcony, usually roofed and often partly enclosed, extending along the outside of a building.

A roofless inner courtyard, typically found in Spanish and Spanish-style dwellings.

An open, roofed gallery or portico, adjoining a dwelling house, forming an out-of-door sitting room. See Loggia.

A paved outside area, adjoining a house, used for dining or recreation.

A porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)

An inner courtyard typical of traditional houses in some regions of Spain.

A paved yard or floor where ores are cleaned and sorted, or where ore, salt, mercury, etc., are trampled by horses, to effect intermixture and amalgamation.

In Spain, Spanish America, etc., a court or courtyard of a house or other building; esp., an inner court open to the sky.

A usually paved area adjacent to a dwelling, used for outdoor lounging, dining, receptions of guests, etc.

Usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence