Savannah
/səˈvæn.ə/noun
A grassy plain with scattered trees, especially in tropical or subtropical regions.
Did you know?English took *savannah* from Spanish *sabana*, which came from Taíno, the indigenous language of the Caribbean, showing how colonial contact can preserve an older landscape word in modern geography.
Etymological Timeline
Taíno (pre-1492)
Taíno
zabana / sabana
“A broad, grassy plain or treeless area.”
16th Century
Spanish
sabana
“A treeless plain; later also influenced by the sense of a flat, open grassland.”
17th Century
English
savanna
“A grassy plain in a warm climate, often with scattered trees.”
18th Century
English
savannah
“A variant spelling that became common in English, especially in place names and geographic usage.”
Modern English
English
savannah
“A tropical or subtropical grassland with few trees.”