# mesa

/ˈmeɪsə/ (US) · /mˈeɪsɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mesa
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. flat-topped hill

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- The hikers climbed to the top of the mesa to see the sunset over the desert.
- Erosion over millions of years carved the landscape, leaving behind the massive sandstone mesa that dominates the horizon of the national park.

### 2. electronics structure

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a raised part on a computer chip or electronic component.

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

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

## Examples

- The sun set behind the red mesa in the distance.
- The hikers climbed to the top of the mesa to get a better view of the desert floor below.
- Geological erosion over millions of years carved the plateau into a series of isolated mesas, each capped by a layer of resistant rock that protects the softer layers beneath.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.