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

Bradenton, Fla., which offers easy access to Anna Maria Island, and Siesta Key, Fla., known for its white-sand beaches, both have seen a surge in search interest this year, according to Expedia.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

He created the YouTube channel Siesta Dog TV which features videos of dogs, for dogs, in colours they can see best.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Instead, Milton veered south, making landfall near Siesta Key and thus sparing Tampa from the worst-case scenarios that many had predicted.

From Slate • Oct. 21, 2024

Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday near Siesta Key, off the west coast of Florida.

From Salon • Oct. 11, 2024

Accordingly, at the hours when the Spaniards are generally taking their Siesta, He ventured to quit the Abbey by a private door, the Key of which was in his possession.

From The Monk; a romance by Lewis, M. G. (Matthew Gregory)