plaza

noun pla·za \ ˈplä-zə , ˈpla- \

|Updated on: 21 Jul 2018

Definition of plaza

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

See plaza defined for English-language learners

See plaza defined for kids

Examples of plaza in a Sentence

They put his statue in the town's plaza.

Recent Examples of plaza from the Web

The supermarket will join Roses Discount Store, Rite Aid Pharmacy, BB&T Bank and others in the plaza, owned by developer Klein Enterprises.

— gal tziperman lotan, baltimoresun.com, "Harvest Fare supermarket to open in northwest Baltimore," 12 July 2018
Following the centennial anniversary of Tomball’s founding, the city moved the train depot from Burroughs Park to the plaza on the corner of South Elm Street and Market Street in 2007.

— mayra cruz, Houston Chronicle, "Tomball to unveil model railroads that depict its history," 7 July 2018
Farmers and merchants go to the plaza to sell produce and other goods.

— elaine heinzman, Smithsonian, "How Soup Nourishes Barcelona’s Tradition of Welcoming Immigrants," 30 June 2018
Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 0:00 / 0:45 KC Streetcar officials plan route to plaza, UMKC campus Advertisement KC Streetcar officials are in the planning stages of the 3.5-mile extension from Union Station down Main Street to the UMKC.

— sarah gish, kansascity, "Study: KC's job accessibility by transit growing faster than in San Francisco, Austin," 29 June 2018
As part of the Patios Summer Program at City Hall Plaza, Dedham animal rescue facility Shultz’s Guest House has been bringing puppies and dogs to the plaza once a week since May to bring attention to adoptable pups and find them new homes.

— sophie cannon, BostonGlobe.com, "Puppies are a hit at City Hall Plaza on ‘Wag Wednesdays’," 28 June 2018
Also included in the RFQ are second-phase projects, which entail the improvements to the public plaza around the station and the construction of a new transit concourse in a north wing of the station that’s now used for parking.

— jacob adelman, Philly.com, "Amtrak resumes search for 30th St. development overseer with focus on shops, restaurants at station," 21 May 2018
Maduro victoriously waving to an empty plaza yesterday is the perfect metaphor for the Venezuelan presidential election.

— benjamin hart, Daily Intelligencer, "Maduro Wins Second Term in Shattered Venezuela As U.S. Promises New Sanctions," 21 May 2018
August 1981: Break dancing moves from street corners to the plaza at Lincoln Center with the summer Out-of-Doors festival, which includes performances by the Dynamic Rockers and the Rock Steady Crew.

— jennifer conrad, New York Times, "What Happened in New York Between 1981 and 1983," 17 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plaza.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of plaza

Spanish, from Latin platea broad street — more at place

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1683

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

PLAZA Defined for English Language Learners

plaza

noun

Definition of plaza for English Language Learners

: an open public area that is usually near city buildings and that often has trees and bushes and places to sit, walk, and shop
: an area on or next to a highway having restaurants, gas stations, restrooms, etc.
: a place where you stop to pay money before going onto a highway