Butte 337871 222699951 2008-06-30T18:06:10Z Wylandwombat 7327259 Fixed typo {{otheruses}} [[Image:Butte pdphoto roadtrip 24 bg 021604.jpg|thumb|Butte near [[Sedona, Arizona]]]] A '''butte''' ({{IPAEng|bju:t}}) is an isolated [[hill]] with steep, often vertical sides and a small flat top, smaller than [[mesa]]s, [[plateau]]s, and [[table (landform)|table]]s. Buttes are prevalent in the [[western United States]]. The word "butte" comes from a [[French language|French]] word meaning "small hill"; its use is prevalent in the western United States except the southwest, where "mesa" is used instead. ==Distinction from mesa== One standard{{Fact|date=June 2008}} holds that a mesa has a surface area over 1,000 square meters, while a butte has a surface area less than 1,000 square meters (11,250 square feet). Geographers use the rule of thumb that a mesa has a top that is wider than its height, while a butte's top is narrower than its height.<ref>{{cite web | title = Mesa and butte | work = | publisher = Science Clarified | date = | url = http://www.scienceclarified.com/landforms/Faults-to-Mountains/Mesa-and-Butte.html | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-30}}</ref> ==Formation== Buttes are formed by [[erosion]] when a cap of hard [[Rock (geology)|rock]], often of [[volcano|volcanic]] origin, covers a layer of softer rock that is easily worn away. The hard rock avoids erosion while the soft rock around it wears down. One example of a noted butte is [[Chimney Rock National Historic Site|Chimney Rock]]. On a much smaller scale, the same process forms [[Hoodoo (geology)|hoodoo]]s. ==Notes== <references/> ==External links== * [http://www.scsc.k12.ar.us/2002Outwest/NaturalHistory/Projects/WylieT/default.htm "Mesas and Buttes"] photographs and examples [[Category:Hills]] {{Topography-stub}} [[cs:Svědecká hora]] [[da:Butte]] [[es:Butte]] [[fr:Butte (géomorphologie)]] [[it:Butte]] [[de:Zeugenberg]]