: 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
North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve Peak season: Mid-March to late April/May
North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve encompasses a wide-open, 3,200-acre mesa near Oroville.
—
Deb Hopewell, AFAR Media, 24 Mar. 2025
The two were close, living in the family’s home in a historic tribal village surrounded by high desert and mesas.
—Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 27 Dec. 2022
Given the on-time launch and assuming no major problems, the Athena lander is expected to descend to touchdown on a flat mesa-like structure known as Mons Mouton on March 6, setting down just 100 miles from the Moon's south pole—closer than any other spacecraft has attempted.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2025
The mesa-like lunar mountain towers over a landscape carved by craters, including the Shackleton Crater, a cold, dark region where water ice and other materials that turn easily into gas are thought to be abundant.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mesa
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Deb Hopewell, AFAR Media, 24 Mar. 2025
The two were close, living in the family’s home in a historic tribal village surrounded by high desert and mesas.
—Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 27 Dec. 2022
Given the on-time launch and assuming no major problems, the Athena lander is expected to descend to touchdown on a flat mesa-like structure known as Mons Mouton on March 6, setting down just 100 miles from the Moon's south pole—closer than any other spacecraft has attempted.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2025
The mesa-like lunar mountain towers over a landscape carved by craters, including the Shackleton Crater, a cold, dark region where water ice and other materials that turn easily into gas are thought to be abundant.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mesa
Cite this Entry
“Mesa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mesa. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mesa
noun
me·sa
ˈmā-sə 
: a flat-topped hill or small plateau with steep sides
Etymology
Spanish, literally, "table"
Geographical Definition
Mesa
geographical name
Me·sa
ˈmā-sə
city east of Phoenix in southwest central Arizona population 439,041
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