Meaning & use
savanna
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
A wide flat area of grassland in a warm part of the world, with scattered trees and few large forests.
Grammar: Can be used as a countable noun (a savanna, savannas) or uncountable (savanna covers the region).
Patterns
- the African savanna
- a savanna in Africa
- savanna grassland
- on the savanna
Lions and zebras live on the African savanna.
The dry season turns the savanna brown and dusty.
We drove for hours across open savanna with only a few acacia trees.
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
A type of ecosystem or biome characterized by grasses, scattered trees, and a warm climate with distinct wet and dry seasons.
Grammar: Used in scientific contexts; often appears in the plural when talking about different types.
Patterns
- tropical savanna
- savanna ecosystem
- savanna biome
- savanna climate
The tropical savanna has a pronounced dry season.
Researchers study how fires affect the savanna ecosystem.
Savanna biomes are found in Africa, South America, and Australia.
Word forms
| plural | savannas |
|---|
Common combinations
- African savanna
- The African savanna is home to elephants and giraffes.
- savanna grassland
- The savanna grassland stretches for miles.
- open savanna
- We saw herds of wildebeest on the open savanna.
- dry savanna
- The dry savanna receives very little rain.
Synonyms and how they differ
- grassland
- A general term for any area covered mainly with grass; savanna is a specific type with scattered trees and a warm climate.
- prairie
- A large area of flat grassland, especially in North America, typically without scattered trees; savanna usually has some trees.
- steppe
- A dry, grassy plain, often in cooler regions; savanna is warmer and has more trees.
Word family
- savannah noun
- Variant spelling of savanna, common in British English and in place names.
Commonly confused: savanna or savannah?
savanna vs savannah
This is just an alternative spelling of savanna; both are correct, but 'savanna' is more common in American English.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'savanna' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Savanna refers to a grassy plain with scattered trees, often in Africa, where lions live. The other options describe a rainforest, a snowy area, or a flooded field, which are not typical of a savanna.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “savanna”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.