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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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 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 new performers is Palm Springs-based DJ Bad Gal Gali, who will open the Sahara Tent Friday at 2:30 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Zakia Zaghouani, 24, had been employed at the Sahara Hotel, a tourist destination in an unnamed Algerian city.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 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

I see Bedouins in the Sahara and the French Foreign Legion, cowboys on the American prairie.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

Related Words

• wilderness