siesta

Pronunciation

• IPA: /siˈɛstə/^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Spanish siesta,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from Latin sexta (“sixth (hour)”), as in sexta hōra,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} the midday hour, six hours after sunrise.^[4][3] It is related to sext and six.^[2][3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

An afternoon rest or nap, especially one taken during the hottest hours of the day in hot countries (1655).^[7][3][4][5]

Semantic evolution

The meaning has stayed the same.^[7][4] Random House notes the custom especially in Spain and Latin America.^[6]

Timeline

• 1645–55 – Random House's dating.^[6]
• 1655 – an afternoon nap.^[7][3][5]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A rest or nap after the midday meal, especially in hot countries.

Verb

1. To take a siesta.

Related words

• sext
• six
• sextant

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
7. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press