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

At the end of the march, protesters sat down in the Puerta del Sol plaza with apparent plans to stay put. — Alicia Leon, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026

San Miguel de Allende is celebrated for its thriving arts and culinary scenes, as well as Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, the neo-Gothic church that soars above the historic city’s central plaza. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026

As Westridge Court gears up to welcome a new home goods store to its shopping center, some of the plaza’s other retailers are moving to new locations. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

Responses to the city’s survey showed community interest in the future name representing worker’s rights, the farmworker movement, Indigenous history and the plaza’s role as one of the city’s key historic gathering places. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 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