savanna

noun

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)

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Examples of savanna in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Baobabs stud southern Africa’s hot, dry stretches of savanna and are often in areas roamed by elephants, rhinos and other wildlife. — Washington Post, "Africa’s iconic baobab trees dying off at alarming rate," 13 July 2018 Restoration work also centered on an overland-flow bioswale, along with savanna and prairie communities on the site. — Frank Abderholden, Lake County News-Sun, "The natural and historic charms at Fort Sheridan open to public again," 3 July 2018 In a mock takedown, recruits were slinking through the savanna carrying automatic weapons before pouncing on a poacher and arresting him. — National Geographic, "As Tigers Become Rarer, Poachers Are Targeting Lions," 1 June 2018 There is a $6 per car parking fee charged until 7 p.m. Volunteers are needed from 1-3 p.m. every Saturday through Aug. 18 to help preserve and restore the black oak savanna and wetland complexes in Miller Woods. — Staff Report, Post-Tribune, "Community news," 11 July 2018 Soft boundaries linked prairie, savanna, shrubland, forest and marsh. — New York Times, "Setting Fires and Restoring an American Landscape," 23 Apr. 2018 Hadza are traditional hunter-gatherers who live off wild plants and animals in the dry savanna wilderness of northern Tanzania. — Herman Pontzer, Scientific American, "The Exercise Paradox," 26 Feb. 2017 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

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.