Sahelian

adjective

Sa·​hel·​ian sə-ˈhil-yən How to pronounce Sahelian (audio)
: of or relating to the Sahel (the semidesert southern fringe of the Sahara desert region that stretches from Mauritania to Chad) or its inhabitants

Examples of Sahelian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The transition from Wagner to the Africa Corps has not halted rising insecurity in militarily- led Sahelian nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 10 May 2026 Nigeria’s conflict has been underway since 2010; in Somalia, the battle against al-Shabab has been going (badly) for more than 17 years; Sahelian jihadist groups have similarly been gaining ground for the past decade. Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026 Humans were then living in the forests of West Africa and the semi-arid Sahelian regions of North Africa – regions that were previously very rarely populated. Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 23 June 2025 Scientists and meteorological services in Sahelian countries are developing user-friendly indicators and simplified early warning systems. Christophe Lavaysse, JSTOR Daily, 17 Apr. 2025 Bambara beans are a beautiful bean that comes from Sahelian parts of West Africa. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sahelian was in 1973

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Cite this Entry

“Sahelian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sahelian. Accessed 19 May. 2026.

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