safari

American  

[suh-fahr-ee] / səˈfɑr i /

noun

safaris plural

1. a journey or expedition, for hunting, exploration, or investigation, especially in eastern Africa.

2. the hunters, guides, vehicles, equipment, etc., forming such an expedition.

3. any long or adventurous journey or expedition.

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verb (used without object)

safaried, safariing

1. to go on a safari.

safari British  

/ səˈfɑːrɪ /

noun

1. an overland journey or hunting expedition, esp in Africa

2. any recreational journey or expedition

3. the people, animals, etc, that go on the expedition

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• safaris
  plural

Etymology

Origin of safari

1885–90; < Swahili < Arabic safar journey

Explanation

A trip to watch wild animals — especially in Africa — is called a safari. If you travel to South Africa to photograph elephants in their natural habitat, you're on safari. In Swahili, safari means "journey" or "expedition." The word has been used in English since the late 19th century to talk about hunting trips to Africa, the clothing these hunters would wear, and more recently, a journey taken to observe or photograph African animals. These days when someone talks about going on safari, they are probably planning to visit an African wildlife refuge or park.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

safari safaris safaried safariing

The safari park lost its previous bull Thorn, who fathered 29 calves over the course of his life, in 2024.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

The few times he appeared outside those safe spaces came off as safari expeditions in a mysterious city the 42-year-old lifelong Angeleno obviously didn’t know.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

He scaled up aggressively at what was then called Barn Hill Preserve, adding a safari park and animal encounters like swimming with otters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

Cruisers and industry executives compare an expedition sailing more to a safari rather than what you might get aboard the gigantic ships regularly sailing out of Miami.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

I mean, if I were a photographer, I’d be on safari somewhere, perched on top of a jeep and shooting rhinos for National Geographic.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

From around $320 per person, Wild Andalucia offers guided lynx safaris in the Sierra Morena mountain range, in the neighboring region of Andalusia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

Rarely if ever do these minimum wage safaris net lasting structural change at the companies featured on the show.

From Salon ● Feb. 23, 2026

"I see a lot of interest in safaris and I think people also start to realise that South Africa and other African countries are actually very well developed," Mr Gruner says.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2025

Her office argues that LaPierre dodged financial disclosure requirements while treating the NRA as his personal piggyback, liberally dipping into its coffers for African safaris and other questionable, big ticket expenses.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 14, 2024

I got the roasting heat and the crocodiles and the snakes and the long safaris up-country, selling Shell oil to the men who ran the diamond mines and the sisal plantations.

From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl

Particularly proud of his medical knowledge is Courier Wagner, who has safaried with many a big game expedition through Africa without a single case of malaria or sleeping sickness.

From Time Magazine Archive

In Kampala, Uganda, where the dollar used to bring 10 shillings on the black market, safariing Americans were lucky to get five.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• trek