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 is the former longtime home of Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, which plans to relocate to West Bloomfield. — Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026

The project also includes approximately 565,000 square feet of retail and dining, 750,000 square feet of office, 1,385 for-rent multifamily units, and more than 20 acres of publicly accessible parks, plazas and multi-use trails. — Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Log temples atop the mounds overlooked wide plazas for ball games, ceremonies, and open-air markets. — ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026

Another grocery store could be coming to a vacant Independence plaza as the city continues working to attract new businesses to replace several shuttered department stores. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 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