siesta

American  

[see-es-tuh] / siˈɛs tə /

noun

• siestas
  plural

1. a midday or afternoon rest or nap, especially as taken in Spain and Latin America.

   He is trying to relax, but the road construction noise seems likely to ruin his siesta.

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verb (used without object)

1. to take a midday or afternoon rest or nap.

   It got so hot that even the cicadas started singing earlier and siestaed during the heat of the day.

siesta British  

/ sɪˈɛstə /

noun

1. a rest or nap, usually taken in the early afternoon, as in hot countries

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• siestas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of siesta

First recorded in 1645–55; from Spanish, from Latin sexta ( hōra ) “the sixth (hour), midday”

Explanation

You can make your afternoon nap sound a little more exotic if you call it a siesta. In some countries, it's common for people to take a siesta after lunch. In warm parts of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, the siesta is an important part of the culture. It's especially ingrained in Spain—and in Italy, where it's called a riposo. The Spanish word siesta, "mid-day nap," comes from the Latin phrase sexta hora, "sixth hour," or noon. The prevalence of siestas in certain countries is probably connected to hot weather and traditions of large mid-day meals.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

siesta siestas

Have an early breakfast, an afternoon siesta while it's very hot and then a late dinner.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

“It looks like the siesta time of day,” said Carle, science director of the nonprofit Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2025

Animals go to their shelter, humans have a siesta, even plants have mechanisms to avoid an overdose of light.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2024

Partygoers use the promptu 'hose' showers set up by locals, or take dip in the nearby Buñol river, before enjoying a delicious Spanish meal and a well-deserved siesta!

From DOGO News ● Sep. 8, 2023

Sunday stretched long and hot, through siesta time.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

These aren’t early-afternoon siestas or weekend catnaps; they’re something more unusual.

From Slate ● Apr. 29, 2024

While some argue for a stricter definition of the phenomenon, others include naps, siestas, and brief nighttime forays as examples of modern segmented sleep patterns.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 4, 2024

People in Spain and Portugal should stop taking siestas and retiring early, leading German politicians and commentators repeatedly advised.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 26, 2022

She has always liked to nap during the day, seeing these siestas as key moments during which thoughts coalesce into actions and characters and plot.

From New York Times ● Aug. 29, 2014

Everyone took siestas to avoid the worst heat of the day.

From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm