SIXTH HOUR

The term siesta was first recorded in 1655 with the same meaning and spelling as it is used today. It was adopted from Spanish, with the Spanish word originating from the Latin expression sexta hora, which literally translates to “sixth hour” but was commonly used to denote noon, the sixth hour after sunrise in the Roman timekeeping system, when individuals would take their afternoon naps. The term sexta, which is of interest here, is the feminine form of sextus, meaning “six” and is also the root of words like sextuple, sextile, sestina, sextet, and the renowned Sistine Chapel (named after Pope Sixtus IV). Tracing back even further, sextus is traced to Proto-Indo-European sweks, which also signified “six”. According to Google NGram Viewer, the usage of siesta has experienced fluctuations over time and has recently been seeing a resurgence in popularity.