savanna

noun

sa·​van·​na sə-ˈva-nə 

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)

Synonyms of savanna

• prairie
• steppe
• plain
• grassland

Examples of savanna in a Sentence

lions roaming the savanna

Recent Examples on the Web

With a glorious mane of glowing purple gas and dust, the Lion Nebula sparkles on the cosmic savanna in this new image captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2026

And South Sudan's first World Heritage site, the Boma–Badingilo Migratory Landscape, protects a vast sweep of savanna, wetlands, and floodplains crossed by one of the world's largest terrestrial mammal migrations. — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Throughout the trip, travelers will have the opportunity to see the Great Migration, explore expansive savanna views, enjoy a helicopter flight over the famed Victoria Falls, go stargazing in the Namib Desert, spot lemurs in Madagascar, and more. — Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 30 July 2026

But just like on a coral reef or savanna, eliminating predators threw the entire ecosystem out of whack. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 27 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish zavana, from Taino zabana

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for savanna

• arana
• arcana
• banana
• bandana
• bandanna
• brahmana
• cabana
• campana
• diana
• fianna
• hosanna
• hyaena

Kids Definition

savanna

noun

sa·​van·​na

variants also savannah

sə-ˈvan-ə 

: a grassland (as of eastern Africa or northern South America) containing scattered trees