στοά .στοα, or στοιή, ῆς, ἡ, a roofed colonnade, piazza, cloister, Lat. porticus, Hdt., Xen. at Athens this name was given to various public buildings: a storehouse, magazine, warehouse for corn, Ar. ἡ βασίλειος or ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως στοά the court where the ἄρχων βασιλεύς sat, Ar., Plat. the Poecile or Painted Chamber, in which Zeno of Citium taught, and so his school was called οἱ ἐκ τῆς στοᾶς or Στωικοί, Luc. a shed to protect besiegers, Polyb.