Sahara

American  

[suh-har-uh, -hair-uh, -hahr-uh] / səˈhær ə, -ˈhɛər ə, -ˈhɑr ə /

noun

1. a desert in northern Africa, extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Nile valley. About 3,500,000 square miles (9,065,000 square kilometers).

2. any arid waste.

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Sahara British  

/ səˈhɑːrə /

noun

1. a desert in N Africa, extending from the Atlantic to the Red Sea and from the Mediterranean to central Mali, Niger, Chad, and the Sudan: the largest desert in the world, occupying over a quarter of Africa; rises to over 3300 m (11 000 ft) in the central mountain system of the Ahaggar and Tibesti massifs; large reserves of iron ore, oil, and natural gas. Area: 9 100 000 sq km (3 500 000 sq miles). Average annual rainfall: less than 254 mm (10 in.). Highest recorded temperature: 58°C (136.4°F)

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Sahara Cultural  

1. Desert in northern Africa.

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Discover More

At approximately 3.5 million square miles, it is the world's largest desert.

Other Word Forms

• Saharan
  adjective
• Saharian
  adjective
• trans-Sahara
  adjective
• trans-Saharan
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Sahara

From Arabic ṣaḥra (plural ṣaḥārā ) “desert”

Example Sentences

Madonna played Coachella’s Sahara Tent 20 years ago in a similar purple getup.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Madonna first appeared at Coachella in 2006, popping up at the Sahara Tent instead of the main stage to perform Confessions On A Dance Floor.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

One of the other notable changes is that Rezz dropped off from her Saturday night Sahara Tent set.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Hamid had benefited from confidential information Zakia fed him about the wealthy patrons who flocked to see her at the Sahara.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Sahara told me once at an ERC meeting about how the women who loved him saw him dead and then alive again.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

Related Words

• wilderness