Definition
A raised flat surface supported by legs, used for eating, working, or placing objects on.
Example
Ponemos los platos sobre la mesa antes de cenar.
Show translation
We put the plates on the table before dinner.
Etymology
From Latin *mensa* ("table, meal"), also the root of "commensal" (sharing a table). The English word "mesa" (flat-topped hill) was borrowed directly from Spanish.
Cultural note
In Spanish-speaking cultures, *la mesa* is a powerful social symbol — family meals around the table are central to daily life. The phrase *poner la mesa* (to set the table) is a chore children learn early. In business contexts, *sentarse a la mesa* (to sit at the table) means to enter formal negotiations.