savanna

noun

sa·​van·​na sə-ˈva-nə 

variants or less commonly savannah

1

: a treeless plain especially in Florida

2

a

: a tropical or subtropical grassland (as of eastern Africa or northern South America) containing scattered trees and drought-resistant undergrowth

b

: a temperate grassland with scattered trees (such as oaks)

Synonyms

• campo
• champaign
• down(s)
• grassland
• heath
• lea
• ley
• llano
• moor
• pampa
• plain
• prairie
• steppe
• tundra
• veld
• veldt

Examples of savanna in a Sentence

lions roaming the savanna

Recent Examples on the Web

Before European colonization, it was estimated that Wisconsin was home to more than 2 million acres of grasslands, namely prairie and oak savanna found largely in the southern part of the state. —Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 9 Dec. 2024

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia CNN — Grasslands — also known as prairies, steppes, pampas or savannas — are home to 25% of the world’s population and all kinds of plants and wildlife, including elephants, rhinos and lions. —Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

Our earliest human ancestors evolved on the tropical savannas of eastern and southern Africa more than 5 million years ago. —Christopher Roos, The Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2024

Home to more national parks than anywhere else in Queensland, the peninsula houses a variety of landscapes, from lush rainforests to tropical savannas and vibrant coral reefs. —Roger Sands, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish zavana, from Taino zabana

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

savanna

noun

sa·​van·​na

variants also savannah

sə-ˈvan-ə 

: a grassland (as of eastern Africa or northern South America) containing scattered trees