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

Three hours before Game 3, the Fan Fest in the Bell Centre plaza was buzzing with people. —Arpon Basu, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026

That fact also explains the name of the new steakhouse from the hospitality company Grupo Orfano, which is opening the restaurant on the ground level of the Mayfair plaza in the Grove on May 4 with a cocktail program created by one of the best bars in the world. —Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026

Battery Park City Authority Battery Park City's lower esplanade will remain as is, while plazas and parks will see a redesign and new landscaping. —Jessica Moore, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026

While City Hall celebrates new community centers in the North End, Grove Hall, an overhaul of the Curley Community Center in South Boston, and upgrades to City Hall plaza itself, Allston-Brighton has been out of the funding loop for years. —Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 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