Sahara
Americannoun
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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).
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any arid waste.
noun
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At approximately 3.5 million square miles, it is the world's largest desert.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Sahara
From Arabic ṣaḥra (plural ṣaḥārā ) “desert”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The impact on fertiliser production that depended on supplies shipped through the strait could mean people in poor countries going hungry later in the year, with Africa south of the Sahara particularly at risk.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
In 1966, Duncan was working as a short-order cook at the Sahara, making 400 salads an hour, when she slipped on spilled grease, severely injuring her shoulder, hip and back.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
However, Binter Canarias, the flag carrier of Spain's autonomous Canary Islands bucks the trend, calling the area Western Sahara.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
Instead, some 80% of Western Sahara is occupied and administered by Morocco, its northern neighbour.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
“So? So the Sahara is a vast desert. And it has existed for millions of years. And you changed it!”
From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
