Siesta comes from Spanish siesta, from Latin sexta hora ('sixth hour,' i.e., noon), preserving the Roman practice of resting during the hottest part of the day.
An afternoon nap, especially one taken during the hottest hours of the day in warm countries.
From Spanish siesta, from Latin sexta (hora), meaning 'the sixth hour,' counting from dawn. The sixth hour of the Roman day corresponded to noon, the hottest part of the day, when work would stop. The practice of resting at midday is as old as agriculture in hot climates, and
The English word noon has a parallel origin: it comes from Latin nona (hora), the ninth hour (around 3 PM). Over time, the main meal was moved earlier and earlier, and noon shifted from meaning 3 PM to meaning 12 PM. Siesta preserved the original Roman sixth-hour timing more faithfully.