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.

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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

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Etymology

Origin of plaza

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

Example Sentences

As news of his seizure rippled out, exiled Venezuelans waved flags and celebrated in plazas from Madrid to Santiago.

From Barron's

The insurer for the plaza called her up and offered her $1 million if she didn’t lawyer up, she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Finally, just north of the shopping plaza off of Lorena Street, damage could be seen on the roofs of some homes and metal chain link fences.

From Los Angeles Times

Renderings of the structure, which is situated in Symphony Park, show a cubed modernist building with a large awning that stretches over a bustling entry plaza to provide shade.

From Los Angeles Times

The Santa Monica Museum of Art eventually left the center, but the shopping plaza is still thriving.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• park
• square