plaza

American  

[plah-zuh, plaz-uh] / ˈplɑ zə, ˈplæz ə /

noun

1. a public square or open space in a city or town.

2. shopping plaza.

3. an area along an expressway where public facilities, as service stations and restrooms, are available.

---

plaza British  

/ ˈplaθa, ˈplɑːzə /

noun

1. an open space or square, esp in Spain or a Spanish-speaking country

2. 1. a modern complex of shops, buildings, and parking areas

   2. ( capital when part of a name )

      Rockefeller Plaza

---

Etymology

Origin of plaza

First recorded in 1675–85; from Spanish, from Latin platea “street,” from Greek plateîa “broad street”; place

Example Sentences

He has been Showtime’s forgotten kingpin, its lost leader, its missing warrior, a stylishly distant legend who had been overshadowed by the seven Lakers whose statues stand watch over the plaza outside Crypto.com Arena.

From Los Angeles Times

Crowds filled the plaza outside the Spring Street courthouse downtown Wednesday, with lines stretched out the door to enter the building, where many had waited for hours just for a glimpse of the CEO.

From Los Angeles Times

“I always refer to our plaza as the living room for Los Angeles,” Govan said.

From Los Angeles Times

Altadena has never organized itself around a traditional civic center, like a city hall plaza or downtown square.

From Los Angeles Times

But when the Platform, an open-air plaza on Washington Boulevard, opened during the spring of 2016, it offered residents and visitors an alternative shopping experience with a hipster bent.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• park
• square