plaza

noun

pla·​za ˈplä-zə  ˈpla- 

1

a

: a public square in a city or town

b

: an open area usually located near urban buildings and often featuring walkways, trees and shrubs, places to sit, and sometimes shops

2

: a place on a thoroughfare (such as a turnpike) at which all traffic must temporarily stop (as to pay tolls)

3

: an area adjacent to an expressway which has service facilities (such as a restaurant, gas station, and restrooms)

4

: shopping center

Examples of plaza in a Sentence

They put his statue in the town's plaza.

Recent Examples on the Web

Forbes was also a public figure in a proposal to redevelop Fisherman’s Wharf, which envisions constructing a public plaza and adding a new overlook and lighting to the wharf’s inner lagoon. — Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

The plaza also hosts the Northbrook Farmers Market every Wednesday from mid-June through mid-October. — Alexandra Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026

Adjacent to the park is a beautiful neoclassical Catholic church and a lineup of restaurants with tables that spill out onto the park’s walkways and plazas. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2026

Sporting Park Sporting KC’s final Soccer Capital Summer will showcase the World Cup final on its large screen inside the outdoor plaza or from Sporting KC’s scoreboard from the west end of the stadium seating. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin platea broad street — more at place

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing plaza

• toll plaza

Rhymes for plaza

• causa

Kids Definition

plaza

noun

pla·​za ˈplaz-ə  ˈpläz- 

: a public square in a city or town