: an ancient Greek portico usually walled at the back with a front colonnade designed to afford a sheltered promenade

Examples of stoa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Its name is actually derived from the Greek stoa, meaning porch, because that’s where Zeon first taught his students. Brent Gleeson, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023 Its founders met around 300 BC in Athens to talk philosophy under a shady portico called a stoa. Gregory Hays, The New York Review of Books, 11 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stoa.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Greek; akin to Greek stylos pillar — more at steer

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stoa was in 1603

Dictionary Entries Near stoa

Cite this Entry

“Stoa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoa. Accessed 30 Mar. 2024.

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