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milpa

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noun mil·pa \ ˈmil-pə \

Definition of milpa

1 a :a small field in Mexico or Central America that is cleared from the forest, cropped for a few seasons, and abandoned for a fresh clearing

b :a corn field in Mexico or Central America

2 :the corn plant

Recent Examples of milpa from the Web

The farmers producing the heirloom beans and corn for Masienda practice the traditional MesoAmerican way of farming, milpa, which rotates corn, beans, and squash on the same land.

— mari uyehara, Bon Appetit, "These 10 Great Online Specialty Food Stores Have Everything," 19 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'milpa.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of milpa

Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl mīlpan

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First Known Use: 1648

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Spanish Central: Translation of milpa

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