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
Examples of savanna in a Sentence
lions roaming the savanna
Recent Examples on the Web
Zoo officials say the new zoo will become home to more than 400 different animals and will feature a 23-acre African savanna that will showcase rhinos, giraffes, lions and cheetahs.
—
Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024
Challenging tradition The sun is barely peeking over the savanna each morning when Mrs. Merishi and her fellow rangers lace up their sneakers and head out for a 2-mile jog near their base.
—Lenny Rashid Ruvaga, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Apr. 2024
Much of that work will be concentrated on clearing brush and invasive species from the floodplain's forests, meadows and savannas, Johansen said, including using prescribed fire to do some of that clearing.
—Journal Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2024
No wind, clear blue-and-purple skies, the sun slowly rising above the red dust blanketing the savanna far below.
—Mark Jenkins, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
As Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, opened, the growing calf stopped for a brief photo op before entering the savanna for the first time, where visitors can see her on the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024
The savanna was a woodland with extensive groups of these trees, sometimes called acacias, which were the home of native acacia ants.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2024
Forest and savanna habitats also contribute to the decline, as land is developed for agriculture and other uses.
—The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024
Ignoring male beasts and their bravado had freed the filmmakers to capture the wisdom of nature’s matriarchs, such as the elephant who leads her herd along ancient savanna pathways.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024
Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024
Challenging tradition The sun is barely peeking over the savanna each morning when Mrs. Merishi and her fellow rangers lace up their sneakers and head out for a 2-mile jog near their base.
—Lenny Rashid Ruvaga, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Apr. 2024
Much of that work will be concentrated on clearing brush and invasive species from the floodplain's forests, meadows and savannas, Johansen said, including using prescribed fire to do some of that clearing.
—Journal Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2024
No wind, clear blue-and-purple skies, the sun slowly rising above the red dust blanketing the savanna far below.
—Mark Jenkins, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
As Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, opened, the growing calf stopped for a brief photo op before entering the savanna for the first time, where visitors can see her on the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024
The savanna was a woodland with extensive groups of these trees, sometimes called acacias, which were the home of native acacia ants.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2024
Forest and savanna habitats also contribute to the decline, as land is developed for agriculture and other uses.
—The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024
Ignoring male beasts and their bravado had freed the filmmakers to capture the wisdom of nature’s matriarchs, such as the elephant who leads her herd along ancient savanna pathways.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'savanna.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near savanna
Cite this Entry
“Savanna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savanna. Accessed 14 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
savanna
noun
sa·van·na
variants
also savannah
: a grassland (as of eastern Africa or northern South America) containing scattered trees
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