sub-Saharan

adjective

sub-Sa·​ha·​ran ˌsəb-sə-ˈher-ən 

-ˈhär-

: of, relating to, or being the part of Africa south of the Sahara

Examples of sub-Saharan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Change is hard for everyone, from people living at subsistence level in sub-Saharan Africa to those living in relative splendor on the California coast. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

The effects of the Iran war have been particularly damaging for regions that are heavily reliant on energy imports, such as East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where farmers have felt the pressure of rising fertilizer and fuel costs. — Eugenia Perozo, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026

The World Bank projects that waste generation in sub-Saharan Africa will increase by 124% between now and 2050 — the fastest growth of any region. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

Exposure nearly doubled in sub-Saharan Africa in that time, and increased substantially in North Africa and the Middle East. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sub-Saharan

• lactoferrin
• acheron
• operon
• percheron
• polaron
• charon
• herren
• karen
• marron
• perron
• terran

Kids Definition

sub-Saharan

adjective

sub-Sa·​ha·​ran

ˌsəb-sə-ˈhar-ən, 

ˈsəb-, 

-ˈher-, 

-ˈhär-

: of, relating to, or being the part of Africa south of the Sahara