cuesta

[ kwes-tuh ]
/ ˈkwɛs tə /

noun

a long, low ridge with a relatively steep face or escarpment on one side and a long, gentle slope on the other.

Origin of cuesta

1810–20, Americanism; < Spanish: shoulder, sloping land < Latin costa side (of a hill), rib; see coast

Example sentences from the Web for cuesta

British Dictionary definitions for cuesta

cuesta
/ (ˈkwɛstə) /

noun

a long low ridge with a steep scarp slope and a gentle back slope, formed by the differential erosion of strata of differing hardness

Word Origin for cuesta

Spanish: shoulder, from Latin costa side, rib

Scientific definitions for cuesta

cuesta
[ kwĕstə ]

A ridge with a gentle slope on one side and a cliff or escarpment on the other. The gentler slope is formed by the differential erosion of underlying rock, and the cliff consists of an outcrop of harder, more resistant rock.