variants
or less commonly savannah
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)
Examples of savanna in a Sentence
lions roaming the savanna
Recent Examples on the Web
Ruth — one of three African savanna elephants at the Milwaukee County Zoo — took a tumble.
—
Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The area is characterized by fertile volcanic soils, lower temperature and higher rainfall than the arid and savanna zones around the mountain, attracting people who will settle on the slopes.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Dune and swale systems are globally rare; this topographic variation — upland in the dunes, lowland in the swales — combines with the region’s unique confluence of biomes — particularly oak savanna, prairie and wetlands — to pack a lot of biodiversity into the preserve’s 42 acres.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
The train winds through the Great Karoo Desert, a sparsely populated area of vast open plains, savannas, and grassland.
—Alesandra Dubin, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
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Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The area is characterized by fertile volcanic soils, lower temperature and higher rainfall than the arid and savanna zones around the mountain, attracting people who will settle on the slopes.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Dune and swale systems are globally rare; this topographic variation — upland in the dunes, lowland in the swales — combines with the region’s unique confluence of biomes — particularly oak savanna, prairie and wetlands — to pack a lot of biodiversity into the preserve’s 42 acres.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
The train winds through the Great Karoo Desert, a sparsely populated area of vast open plains, savannas, and grassland.
—Alesandra Dubin, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for savanna
Cite this Entry
“Savanna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savanna. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
savanna
noun
sa·van·na
variants
also savannah
: a grassland (as of eastern Africa or northern South America) containing scattered trees
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