stanza

noun

stan·​za ˈstan-zə 

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

stan-ˈzā-ik 

adjective

Examples of stanza in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hansen finished off her hat trick just 59 seconds into the final stanza, as Franklin pushed its advantage to 12-4. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026

Aside from the second stanza, which is a brief dialogue between the eponymous victim and an unnamed adult, the first and then third through sixth stanzas feature fairly uniform line lengths that are broken in the middle of a sentence. —Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026

That swing drew a 10-minute misconduct penalty and an Avs power play to end the stanza. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 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

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

Phrases Containing stanza

• ballad stanza
• heroic stanza
• Rubaiyat stanza
• Spenserian stanza

Rhymes for stanza

• bonanza
• extravaganza

Kids Definition

stanza

noun

stan·​za ˈstan-zə 

: a division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually repeating pattern of rhythm and rhyme

stanzaic

stan-ˈzā-ik 

adjective