Definition

1. Noun:
   • A city in Arizona, USA: A city located just east of Phoenix, originally developed as a suburb.
   • A flat-topped hill or mountain with steep sides: A geological formation, also known as a tableland, characterized by a flat top and steep cliffs.

Examples

• Noun (Geographical Feature):
  • The ancient pueblo was built on top of the mesa.
  • From the valley, the mesa looked like a giant table.
• Noun (City):
  • They drove from Phoenix to Mesa for the concert.
  • Mesa is one of the largest cities in Arizona.

Advanced Usage

• Geological Context: In geology, a "mesa" is an erosional remnant, often composed of resistant rock layers like sandstone or basalt, that is smaller than a plateau but larger than a butte.
  • The Colorado Plateau is famous for its many mesas and canyons.

Variants and Related Words

• Butte (n): A similar isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top, but smaller than a mesa.
• Plateau (n): A large, elevated area of relatively flat land, typically larger than a mesa.
• Tableland (n): A broad, elevated region with a flat top; a general term that includes mesas and plateaus.

Synonyms

• Table hill
• Table mountain
• Tableland

Related Phrases

• Mesa top: Refers specifically to the flat summit of a mesa.
  • The mesa top offered a panoramic view of the desert.
• Mesa verde: A Spanish phrase meaning "green table," often used as a proper name for specific locations (e.g., Mesa Verde National Park).
  • Mesa Verde National Park is known for its Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings.

Noun

1. a city in Arizona just to the east of Phoenix; originally a suburb of Phoenix
2. flat tableland with steep edges
   • the tribe was relatively safe on the mesa but they had to descend into the valley for water