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 plaza pieces also have their highest branches decorated with ornaments, lighting and a star first before they're placed upright. —Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025

The money is earmarked for a new skate plaza in Encanto. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025

Dunham-Jones said in cities like New York and Atlanta, developers of skyscrapers in the 1960s were forced by municipal officials to include plazas in front of the buildings. —Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025

Further south and inland, the Sierra de Aracena in Andalusia brings a tapestry of cork forests, rolling hills, and pueblos blancos — whitewashed towns where tradition thrives in every plaza. —Spain Tourism, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025

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