siesta

[ see-es-tuh ]

noun

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.

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

/ sɪˈɛstə /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of siesta¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of siesta¹

C17: from Spanish, from Latin sexta hōra the sixth hour, that is, noon

Example Sentences

Some cultures, of course, do embrace the afternoon nap, or siesta.

From Freakonomics

During the week, most meals are taken at home, including midday lunch, when many businesses shut down, and might be followed by a siesta.

From Eater

How can anyone go home for a three-course meal and a siesta in the midst of peak trading?

From The Daily Beast

Now Egypt is again leading the way to the future after a long siesta under Hosni Mubarak.

From The Daily Beast

When we reached the hotel everybody went in to take a siesta—that "Mittags-Schlaf" which is law in Germany.

From Project Gutenberg

They dined, therefore, in silence, and afterwards he laid himself down as usual on the sofa for a siesta.

From Project Gutenberg

The session lasted until time for the noonday luncheon and siesta , and was resumed in the afternoon.

From Project Gutenberg

We happened to reach it when the prisoners were having a siesta.

From Project Gutenberg

Is there no sombra where we can eat our lunch and take a siesta?

From Project Gutenberg