plaza

noun

pla·​za ˈplä-zə How to pronounce plaza (audio) ˈpla- How to pronounce plaza (audio)
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.
Once the press conference seemingly got back on track, the theater's bull moseyed across the plaza. Breanne L. Heldman, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025 The plan includes a 3,500-seater venue to enable entertainment events to take place all year, no matter the weather, alongside a plaza that connects Villa Park to the club shop and a general widening of space around the stadium. Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025 There are also plans to create areas for outdoor entertainment on the plaza, install European-style privacy stalls in all lobby restrooms and update performer dressing rooms backstage. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2025 The Citrus Heights Police Department said officers responded shortly after 10:30 a.m. to reports of a man threatening people with a knife in the parking lot of a shopping plaza in the 7800 block of Lichen Drive, near Antelope Road. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2025 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 2 May. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on plaza

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