stanza

noun

stan·​za ˈstan-zə How to pronounce stanza (audio)
1
: a division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually recurring pattern of meter and rhyme : strophe
2
sports : a period (such as a half or an inning) into which the duration of a game is divided
The game's prime moment wasn't the decisive and popular eighth-inning, two-run homer by Mark Bellhorn … but a sensational play by Boston's Manny Ramirez in the top of that same stanza.Roger Angell
stanzaic adjective

Examples of stanza in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
New York always has the last word in the majors, and the storylines came thick and fast in its opening stanza. Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025 Phillips racked up 92 yards on just 10 carries, including a 42-yard TD burst to start the second stanza. Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2025 San Jose scored early in the second stanza to trim the Loons’ lead to 3-1, but Oluwaseyi officially put the game away in stoppage time with another dominant run that resulted in his second assist of the need, a feed to Joseph Rosales for an easy goal. Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025 Saudi Arabia, a guest nation in Concacaf’s championship, had the best chances of the first stanza. Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for stanza

Word History

Etymology

Italian, stay, abode, room, stanza, from Vulgar Latin *stantia stay — more at stance

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stanza was in 1589

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stanza.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stanza. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

stanza

noun
stan·​za ˈstan-zə How to pronounce stanza (audio)
: a division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually repeating pattern of rhythm and rhyme
stanzaic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on stanza

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!