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

And Marchand learned that the savanna penetrated more deeply into the rainforest in south-central Ivory Coast. — Thomas J Bassett, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026

The logic assumes the human form factor is optimal for a factory floor, but this form factor evolved to run away from lions on the African savanna! — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 27 Oct. 2026

While African savanna elephants are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the southern African nation of Botswana has a large elephant population estimated at around 130,000, more than any other country. — Sello Motseta, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

The center of the activities was a grove, within a ring of trees, considered to be one of the oldest oak savannas in the state. — Gregory Harutunian, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 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