Sabana
/səˈbɑːnə/noun
A broad tropical or subtropical grassland with scattered trees.
Did you know?English 'savanna' and Spanish 'sabana' ultimately trace back to a Caribbean Indigenous word recorded by early Spanish chroniclers, showing how colonial contact can permanently reshape everyday geography words.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian Caribbean
Taíno
zabana
“A flat open plain or grassy area”
16th Century
Spanish
sabana
“A local word adopted by Spanish chroniclers for a treeless plain”
16th-17th Century
French
savana
“A borrowed form used for tropical grassland”
17th-18th Century
English
savanna
“A broad grassy plain in tropical regions”
Modern English
English
savanna
“A tropical or subtropical grassland with scattered trees”