Savannah

American  

[suh-van-uh] / səˈvæn ə /

noun

1. a seaport in E Georgia, near the mouth of the Savannah River.

2. a river flowing SE from E Georgia along most of the boundary between Georgia and South Carolina and into the Atlantic. 314 miles (505 km) long.

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Savannah British  

/ səˈvænə /

noun

1. a port in the US, in E Georgia, near the mouth of the Savannah River: port of departure of the Savannah for Liverpool (1819), the first steamship to cross the Atlantic. Pop: 127 573 (2003 est)

2. a river in the southeastern US, formed by the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers in NW South Carolina: flows southeast to the Atlantic. Length: 505 km (314 miles)

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Explanation

An ecosystem made up of a mix of grassland and wooded areas is called a savannah. The African savannah is home to elephants, zebras, lions, and many other animals. A savannah is different from a forest because the widely spaced trees allow plenty of sunlight to filter through, resulting in dense grasses. Most savannahs are located in tropical areas, but even North America has its share — and before the 19th century, areas of land kept clear by controlled fires were also described as savannahs. Although the word means "treeless plain" in Spanish, a true savannah does have trees as well as grasses.

Example Sentences

While Major League Baseball has been sweating over pitch clocks, ghost runners and the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System, the Savannah Bananas have been juggling, dancing, cartwheeling along the baselines and running to first on stilts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

When Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band released its eponymous first album 50 years ago this month, the LP was unlike anything that had preceded it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

Her new husband has children of his own; Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14, from a previous relationship with Autumn Phillips.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

Norco 8, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 0: Savannah Gonzalez hit two home runs and Peyton May threw a three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts to lead the Cougars.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Savannah and I slept together in a double bed, wearing T-shirt nighties and hugging matching dolls.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter