savanna

noun

Save Word

sa·van·na | \ sə-ˈva-nə

variants: or less commonly savannah

Definition of savanna

1 : a treeless plain especially in Florida

2a : 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 Example Sentences Learn More About savanna

Examples of savanna in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For those interested in helping plant 50 trees in Peck Farm Park’s oak savanna at part of the celebration of Earth Day, advance registration is required through the Geneva Park District. — Beacon-news Staff, chicagotribune.com, 8 Apr. 2022 In Kenya and Brazil, rows of eucalyptus grow on land that was once ecologically rich forest and savanna. — New York Times, 14 Mar. 2022 Satellites spot troubling signals that may portend a transformation from rainforest to savanna, with profound implications for the planet. — Matt Simon, Wired, 7 Mar. 2022 The dark, dense, damp tropical rainforest will give way to a more open savanna. — Washington Post, 24 Jan. 2022 And out by Grand Ronde’s reservation, the Nature Conservancy has returned to the tribe over 600 acres of land, which holds some of the last remaining white oak savanna in the region. — Brian Oaster, oregonlive, 13 Nov. 2021 The expedition, or dzomori, leaves Ripá for a day of collecting native seeds on the savanna of Mato Grosso, Brazil. — Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2022 If much more is lost, scientists warn, the forest could suffer destabilizing ecological changes that convert immense swaths into degraded open savanna. — Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2022 With enough time and forest losses, scientists say, large swaths of the Amazon could fall into an unstoppable spiral that would transform them from lush rainforest into grassy savanna. — Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, 8 Mar. 2022 See More

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.