piazza

[pee-az-uh, -ah-zuh, pee-at-suh, -aht-, pyaht-tsah]

noun

plural

piazzas ,

plural

piazze .

1. an open square or public place in a city or town, especially in Italy.

2. Chiefly New England and Inland South.,  a large porch on a house; veranda.

3. Chiefly British.,  an arcade or covered walk or gallery, as around a public square or in front of a building.

piazza

/ ˈpjattsa, pɪˈætsə, -ˈædzə /

noun

1. a large open square in an Italian town

2. a covered passageway or gallery

piazza

1. An open square, especially in a city or town in Italy.

Other Word Forms

• piazzaed adjective
• piazzian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of piazza¹

1575–85; < Italian < Latin platēa courtyard, originally, street < Greek plateîa, noun use of feminine of platýs flat ¹. See place

Word History and Origins

Origin of piazza¹

C16: from Italian: marketplace, from Latin platēa courtyard, from Greek plateia; see _place

Example Sentences

A short walk away is the pretty piazza where Roberto Zanon has spent all his life but which he now has to leave.

From BBC

Three elements cinched it: The views from the road above were stunning, the piazza charmed, and what would become something of a location star for rapt viewers, “the incredible network of stairs, alleys and passageways.”

From Los Angeles Times

“We wanted to see the sights in Florence and have long lunches in the piazzas, but instead we were stuck in our overpriced villas under the air-conditioning.”

From Seattle Times

The new works call for a tunnel to divert the oncoming traffic underneath the new pedestrian piazza.

From Seattle Times

One camp, at Warwick University, has been set up in the campus's piazza for a week.

From BBC