plaza

noun

pla·​za ˈplä-zə How to pronounce plaza (audio) ˈpla- How to pronounce plaza (audio)
Synonyms of plazanext
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

Examples of plaza in a Sentence

They put his statue in the town's plaza.
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.
Fans who had waited 15 years for the Sabres to host a playoff game turned the plaza outside the rink into a party. Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 15 May 2026 Santiago has world-class museums, vibrant parks and plazas, bohemian barrios, buzzing nightlife, and a growing food scene to match those globe-conquering wines. Mark Johanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026 On a plaza outside the courthouse, anti-billionaire demonstrators set up props most days to pillory either Musk, Altman or both. David Ingram, NBC news, 15 May 2026 The young, mostly male group did their chanting under the eye of Israeli police, who had cordoned off parts of the plaza for journalists to cover the event safely. Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for plaza

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Latin platea broad street — more at place

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of plaza was in 1683

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plaza.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaza. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

plaza

noun
pla·​za ˈplaz-ə How to pronounce plaza (audio) ˈpläz- How to pronounce plaza (audio)
: a public square in a city or town

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