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dehesa

dehesa; wooded pasture

noun deh-EH-sah Rare
Animals & Nature Geography

Origin: From Latin defensa, 'enclosed land'.

Usage Note

Dehesa is a distinctively Iberian landscape — open woodland of holm oaks (encinas) and cork oaks (alcornoques) managed as seasonal pasture, especially in Extremadura and Andalusia. It is the habitat where Ibérico pigs are raised and acorn-fed to produce jamón ibérico de bellota. There is no single English equivalent; 'wooded pasture' or 'oak savanna' are approximate translations.

Examples

"Los cerdos ibéricos pastan en la dehesa."

Natural Translation

The Iberian pigs graze on the dehesa.

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