cahon

(cajón [kaxón] < caja 'box' < Latin capsa via Catalan caixa or Occitan caissa plus augmentative suffix -ón; literally, large box, trunk)

   1) According to Clark, "a box canyon or a narrow basin of land nearly surrounded by steep sides." It is likely that the English equivalent is a calque from this Spanish term. The DRAE indicates that, especially in Chile, cajón may refer to a long canyon with an arroyo or river at its base. No Spanish source consulted provides a meaning for this term exactly like the one used in the Southwest, but Santamaría cites Beaumont, who uses cajón as a synonym for cañón.

   2) Clark: 1860s. "A boxlike or squarish building constructed of adobe." Clark also notes that this term is frequently used in place names in the Southwest. Spanish sources do not reference this meaning.