Place Was Once a Broad Street
A place is a particular position or location. The Latin behind it described a wide open street, which is why European squares are still called places.
A place is a particular position, location or spot. The word began far more specifically: Latin *platea* meant a broad street or open courtyard, from Greek *plateia*, wide. That original sense survives in French *place*, Italian *piazza* and Spanish *plaza*, all meaning a town square — English simply widened its own word until it could mean anywhere at all. English kept the old sense in street names such as Grosvenor Place.
- A position or location. *A quiet place.*
- A square (in names). *Berkeley Place.*
- A rank. *Second place.*
- To put. *Place it there.*
- Latin — *platea*, a broad street. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | place | A place. |
| Plural | places | Two places. |
| Verb | place | Place it. |
| Noun | placement | Placement. |
| Greek | plateia | Wide. |
- This is a good place to stop.Location.
- He finished in third place.Rank.
- Piazza and plaza are the same word.Cousins.
The platea family across Europe
- English place — any location, and some street names
- French place — a town square, as in Place de la Concorde
- Italian piazza — a square
- Spanish plaza — a square, and now a shopping centre
- German Platz — a square, as in Potsdamer Platz
Old French *place*, from Latin *platea*, a broad street or courtyard, from Greek *plateia hodos*, a wide way.
Are plaza and place the same word?
Yes. Plaza, piazza, Platz and place all descend from Latin platea, a broad street.
Why do some London streets end in Place?
It preserves the older sense of an open courtyard or wide street rather than a through road.