mesa

noun

me·​sa ˈmā-sə How to pronounce mesa (audio)
: an isolated relatively flat-topped natural elevation usually more extensive than a butte and less extensive than a plateau
also : a broad terrace with an abrupt slope on one side : bench

Examples of mesa in a Sentence

a mesa in the Arizona desert
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Photograph: Backcountry Deuter Kid Comfort Active Carrier for $203 ($67 off) Backcountry My kid started his hiking career in this pack, which carried him from the mountains of Colorado to the hot barren mesas of Chaco Canyon. Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024 The area with the greatest foot traffic includes roughly 7,000 square miles that encompasses beaches, mesas, an inland mountain range, canyons and high desert. Bethany Blankley | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Oct. 2024 In one of many hidden rooms inside the labyrinth of Life and Trust, the floor turned into the soft earth of a corral, the walls were painted with a view of red-rock mesas, and a performer in a cowboy getup was circling another man who happened to be wearing a horse mask. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2024 Think again, as the California Zephyr, the longest route in America crosses through seven states, carving up Colorado’s canyons, then passing into Utah where the sun ignites mesas into flaming towers of rock. Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mesa 

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, literally, table, from Latin mensa

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mesa was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near mesa

Cite this Entry

“Mesa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mesa. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

mesa

noun
me·​sa ˈmā-sə How to pronounce mesa (audio)
: a flat-topped hill or small plateau with steep sides
Etymology

Spanish, literally, "table"

Geographical Definition

Mesa

geographical name

Me·​sa ˈmā-sə How to pronounce Mesa (audio)
city east of Phoenix in southwest central Arizona population 439,041

More from Merriam-Webster on mesa

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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