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REFERENCE

mesa

n.
US //ˈmeɪsə// UK //mˈeɪsɐ// mesa
  1. 1 flat-topped hill (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a high, flat area of land with very steep sides.

    an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge, or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments.

    Example

    The hikers climbed to the top of the mesa to see the sunset over the desert.

    Example

    Erosion over millions of years carved the landscape, leaving behind the massive sandstone mesa that dominates the horizon of the national park.
  2. 2 electronics structure (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a raised part on a computer chip or electronic component.

    a raised area on a semiconductor wafer or substrate, typically created by etching away surrounding material to isolate components.

    Example

    The engineer examined the mesa structure on the silicon wafer under a microscope.

    Example

    The fabrication process involves a mesa etch to provide electrical isolation between the individual photodiode elements on the chip.

    Usage

    Often used in the context of 'mesa etching' or 'mesa transistors'.
Origin

First attested 1759, from Spanish mesa (“table”), from Latin mēnsa. Doublet of mensa.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 20, 2026