savanna

noun sa·van·na \ sə-ˈva-nə \

variants: or less commonly savannah

|Updated on: 10 Jul 2018

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

Imara and her new baby will stay in the giraffe barn, an off-exhibit area, for a few weeks until the calf is old enough to be introduced to other animals and explore the zoo's savanna habitat, Hardwick said.

— angela forburger, azcentral, "Phoenix Zoo welcomes new baby giraffe born last week," 4 July 2018
The African lion, Panthera leo, plays a crucial role in the savanna ecosystem.

— christopher bendana, The Christian Science Monitor, "Uganda's pride: Lions test locals' patience," 27 June 2018
But around 2,600 years ago, an event that ecologists call the Late Holocene Rainforest Crisis occurred, and the forests suddenly gave way to savannas dotted with islands of trees.

— kiona n. smith, Ars Technica, "African rainforests vanished for 600 years, then bounced back—why?," 27 Feb. 2018
The trees, found in savanna regions of Africa, Madagascar and Australia, can grow to be thousands of years old.

— dino grandoni, Washington Post, "The Energy 202: EPA delays public-records requests to avoid questions about Scott Pruitt, Democrat says," 12 June 2018
Based on data from the Great Elephant Census (GEC), a continent-wide survey conducted by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc., Africa's savanna elephant population declined by 30 percent between 2007 and 2014 for instance.

— sean gallagher, Ars Technica, "We know you hate the Internet of Things, but it’s saving megafauna from poachers," 6 June 2018
And while many adventurers looking for the ultimate safari rightfully head to Botswana, most visit the Okavango Delta, where the vast savanna floods seasonally and creates labyrinthine waterways that attract a bevy of wildlife.

— meredith bethune, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why You Should Go on a Boat Safari in Botswana," 23 Apr. 2018
Bochat said the trees are remnants of an oak savanna that grew prior to European settlement and development.

— jennifer johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Residents petition Park Ridge Park District to buy Busse Highway property, preserve oak trees," 23 Mar. 2018
The Five-Star Safari Remember the flight scene in Out of Africa where Kenya's savanna landscapes unfold in frame after exquisite frame for three solid minutes?

— priscilla eakeley, Town & Country, "10 Trips That Are Truly Fun for the Whole Family," 30 Nov. 2016

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.