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

Migrants from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa regularly attempt to cross the border fences around Ceuta and Melilla, seeing the Spanish cities as gateways to mainland Europe. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Nineteen African fests have already signed on, among them Burkina Faso’s venerable FESPACO — the oldest film festival in sub-Saharan Africa — the Durban Intl. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Out of sub-Saharan Africa, Cameroonian director Auguste Bernard Kouemo competes with House of the Wind, which debuted in the Venice Film Festival’s Orizzonti sidebar winning its Special Jury Prize and the Lion of the Future for a Debut Film. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

The United States also recently extended the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which grants sub-Saharan countries duty-free access to American markets through 2028. — Jared Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 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