A news reporter typing a story came across the word "butte" and asked his co-worker the difference between a butte, mountain or mesa, etc. A discussion arose in the office about canyons, escarpments, bluffs, etc, but no one could define "butte".
Someone suggested to ask Jeannie, one of the proofreaders to settle the question. Jeannie was what one might say a worldly lady, and when approached with the question
"Hey, Jeannie, what's a butte?" She promptly replied: "Offhand, I'd say, one about this
long," signifying a distance of about 8 inches with her hands.
