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
… held a 10-point lead in the final stanza.Vincent Frank
stanzaic adjective

Examples of stanza in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Forty seconds into the second stanza, Wedgewood produced another nice save on a wrister by hard-charging Alex Laferriere. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026 Mendoza settled into more of a rhythm in the second stanza, taking what was in front of him. Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 18 Apr. 2026 Jovani Moran threw 2 1/3 scoreless stanzas, Ryan Watson gave up a pair of solo home runs over his two frames and Tyler Samaniego tossed two scoreless innings. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Apr. 2026 The closing stanza brought a rapid exchange of special-teams tallies, as on the same Ducks power play, Vancouver notched a shorthanded goal and the Ducks responded by cashing in 38 seconds later. Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026 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 25 Apr. 2026.

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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