Savanna
/səˈvæn.ə/noun
A treeless or lightly wooded grassland, especially in tropical regions.
Did you know?The English word came through Spanish from a Taíno form recorded in the Caribbean, showing how conquest could move an entire landscape-name into global vocabulary.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-1492
Taíno
zabana
“an open plain or grassy flatland”
16th Century
Spanish
sabana
“a treeless plain or grassy expanse in the Caribbean”
17th Century
French
savane
“a grassy plain, especially in tropical regions”
17th–18th Century
English
savanna
“a tropical grassland or open plain”