mesa

Where does the word "mesa" come from? It comes from Latin mensa, passing through Spanish before entering English (1800s).

Mesa’s story begins in Latin: mensa meant “table.” By medieval, the word had taken hold in Spanish as mesa. Kept the meaning of a flat table or tableland. It reached English by 1800s as mesa. Spanish 'table', from the flat tops of Southwest plateaus. Today, mesa means an isolated flat-topped hill or plateau with steep sides.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient mensa "table", meaning "table".
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · medieval mesa "table; flat-topped hill", kept the meaning of a flat table or tableland.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1800s mesa "an isolated flat-topped hill", Spanish 'table', from the flat tops of Southwest plateaus.