savanna

noun

sa·​van·​na sə-ˈva-nə How to pronounce savanna (audio)
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)

Examples of savanna in a Sentence

lions roaming the savanna
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But on the other hand, many more researchers looking at African savannas have found that elephants knock down lots of trees, converting forests into savannas and reducing carbon sequestration. Nitin Sekar, ArsTechnica, 5 Apr. 2025 Common to woodlands, scrublands, savanna and villages across most of East Africa, they can be found in small flocks, usually making a variety of noisy scolds and shrieks at anyone within earshot. Matt Kracht, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025 The movie played on an outdoor cinema screen in an artificially aged amphitheatre nestled in a reservation in the desert, complete with a sprawling savanna. Caroline Reid, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024 Shakespearean undercurrents provide the pulse of the narrative, a cat fight for the throne of a pride of lions on an African savanna alongside a coming-of-age cat tale. Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for savanna

Word History

Etymology

Spanish zavana, from Taino zabana

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of savanna was in 1555

Cite this Entry

“Savanna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savanna. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

savanna

noun
sa·​van·​na
variants also savannah
: a grassland (as of eastern Africa or northern South America) containing scattered trees

More from Merriam-Webster on savanna

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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