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.
These three stanzas are a gift, a souvenir offered by the poet to whomever might have been with her on that ferry ride and, equally, to everyone who wasn’t. A.o. Scott, New York Times, 2 May 2025 Brown was the more effective striker during the exchanges in the second stanza, using his length and power to hurt Dalby before Dalby bit down on his mouthpiece and charged forward, only to be dropped face-first to the canvas with a nasty right. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025 With about a half a minute to go in a rough-and-tumble second stanza, Traven, up 5-0 on points, rolled one of Weber’s shoulder blades to the mat. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2025 That allowed Pimblett to use his speed and size to light up Chandler on the feet, including timing and landing a knee at the start of the third stanza, opening an enormous gash under Chandler's left eye. Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 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 24 May. 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

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