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

The land, just south of the Parkland Commons shopping plaza, is known as the Trails End site (an adjacent road is Trails End). —Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2026

There were 3,000 people on the plaza at the June 18 Obama Presidential Center grand opening ceremony, with almost too many celebrities to count. —Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 19 June 2026

When the match clock ran out and Mexico held on to its single-goal lead, the plaza exploded into cheers. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026

North side politicians, LGBTQ+ advocates and neighbors gathered yesterday to break ground on a new pedestrian plaza in Andersonville named for late trans activist Elise Malary. —Chicago Tribune, 19 June 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