:''This article is about the land form. For other uses, see
Butte (disambiguation)''

Butte near Sedona, Arizona
A 'butte' () is an isolated
hill with steep sides and a small flat top, smaller than
mesas and
plateaus. Buttes are prevalent in the
western United States and on the
Hawaiian Islands, especially around
Honolulu. The word "butte" comes from a
French word meaning "small hill".
Buttes are formed by
erosion when a cap of hard
rock, usually of
volcanic origin, covers a layer of softer rock that is easily worn away. This hard rock avoids erosion while the rock around it wears down. One example of a noted butte is
Chimney Rock.