savanna

noun sa·van·na \ sə-ˈva-nə \

variants: or less commonly savannah

Definition of savanna

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)

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Recent Examples of savanna from the Web

When most people think of this continent, the visual references that come to mind are normally the wildlife that roams the savanna or the raw power of Victoria Falls.

— erin flaherty, Marie Claire, "How Macadamia Nuts Became the Secret Ingredient in Your Sustainable Skincare Products," 1 Aug. 2017
Prior to European settlement, lakeplain prairies and savannas covered 600,000 acres of southeast Michigan.

— michigan wildlife council, Detroit Free Press, "Algonac prairie, savanna are rare treasures," 26 July 2017
The state natural area is rustic, with rough social paths and old service roads weaving through prairie and oak savanna to the top of Maiden Rock.

— chelsey lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "The Great River Road is perfect for a great Wisconsin road trip," 13 July 2017
Lion Country Safari was recently ranked as one of the 10 best savanna exhibits in world by Zoo Nation in a list that includes the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in California and the Harambe Wildlife Preserve at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando.

— chabeli herrera, miamiherald, "Lion Country Safari in Palm Beach could be sold to an animal conservationist," 20 June 2017
Guests receive a three-night stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge with views of the savanna, a V.I.P. visit to Pandora including a private guide, and a three-day ticket to all Disney parks.

— shivani vora, New York Times, "Packages for New ‘Pandora-The World of Avatar’ in Orlando," 15 June 2017
As recently as the 1850s, the Willamette Valley was filled with lush oak savanna.

— OregonLive.com, "7 wonders of Oregon that no longer exist," 13 June 2017
Today, the savannas are virtually gone, a casualty of American industriousness and prosperity.

— patrick m. o'connell, chicagotribune.com, "Restoration of Illinois' oak savannas tries to reach new heights," 30 May 2017
Oak trees were the dominant species, often thriving in savannas, open vista landscapes punctuated with tall, sprawling, majestic trees.

— patrick m. o'connell, chicagotribune.com, "Restoration of Illinois' oak savannas tries to reach new heights," 30 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'savanna.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of savanna

Spanish zavana, from Taino zabana

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1555

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savanna Synonyms

Synonyms

campo, champaign, down (s), grassland, heath, lea (or ley), llano, moor, pampa, prairie, plain (also savannah), steppe, tundra, veld (or veldt)

Related Words

field, meadow; floodplain; bottom, bottomland, flat, lowland; plateau, table, tableland, upland

Other Ecology Terms

Malthusian, anthropogenic, biomass, carbon footprint, crepuscular, niche, sere, symbiosis, taiga, tundra

SAVANNA Defined for English Language Learners

savanna

noun

Definition of savanna for English Language Learners

: a large flat area of land with grass and very few trees especially in Africa and South America

SAVANNA Defined for Kids

savanna

noun sa·van·na

variants: also savannah \sə-ˈva-nə\

Definition of savanna for Students

:land of warm regions (as Africa) that is covered with grass and only a few shrubs and trees

Learn More about savanna

See words that rhyme with savanna Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for savanna Spanish Central: Translation of savanna Nglish: Translation of savanna for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about savanna

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savanna

Definition of savanna for English Language Learners

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