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

• campo
• champaign
• down(s)
• grassland
• heath
• lea
• ley
• llano
• moor
• pampa
• plain
• prairie
• steppe
• tundra
• veld
• veldt

Examples of savanna in a Sentence

lions roaming the savanna

Recent Examples on the Web

Home to more national parks than anywhere else in Queensland, the peninsula houses a variety of landscapes, from lush rainforests to tropical savannas and vibrant coral reefs. —Roger Sands, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

But the eastern shores of Lady Bird Lake also harbor small savanna ecosystems. —Cross Harris, Austin American-Statesman, 9 July 2024

Walking along the land's two-mile path, miniature ecosystems mimicking the state's tallgrass prairies, wetlands, savannas and more are revealed. —Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 14 Nov. 2024

Tigers can be found in a diverse range of habitats, from tropical rainforests to savannas, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). —Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish zavana, from Taino zabana

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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