A steep slope with a nearly flat plateau top is called a mesa.

Mesa is a Spanish word meaning "table," and it perfectly describes the shape.

Here are some other terms that might be used depending on the specific features:

* Butte: A mesa with a smaller, more pointed plateau top.

* Cuesta: A slope with a gentler incline to the plateau top.

* Escarpment: The steep cliff that forms the edge of the plateau.

These landforms are often formed by erosion, where softer rock layers are worn away faster than harder layers, leaving the resistant caprock that forms the plateau.