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

Patrons have been paying $20 cover charges just to walk in for the right to buy food and drink at one of the bars/restaurants inside the facility that shares a plaza area with Globe Life Mall. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2026

The new $4 billion district will have a 5,500-seat concert hall, 20 acres of parks and plazas, 1,500 apartments, two hotels, 30 restaurants and an office space, all next to Honda Center, the home of the Anaheim Ducks. — Lesley Marin, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Renderings show a nearly 17,000‑square‑foot plaza along Forbes, restaurant space at street level, event and exhibition areas and direct connections to a future bus rapid transit station. — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Fans can watch the games on a large screen at the outdoor plaza or on Sporting KC’s scoreboard from the West end of the stadium seating. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 29 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