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

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Etymology

Origin of safari

1885–90; < Swahili < Arabic safar journey

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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

Prosecutors say they received the funds through US bank accounts, kept a portion for themselves and transferred the remainder to alleged co-conspirators in Kenya linked to a purported safari company.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

One of them, Steve Edwards, a local safari camp manager, found new, productive sites on the shore of Lake Kariba, the artificial lake which forms most of the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

Kershaw admitted five counts of fraud after colleagues spotted Facebook posts of her on safari in Africa, and on trips to Paris, Tuscany and Dubai.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

The Marriott’s Kinara Safari Lodge Direct flights between Mahé and Nairobi make it easy to add a leg at the Masai Mara National Reserve, whose expansive savannahs are a bucketlist safari destination.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

I had a shabby, tight-fitting khaki safari suit my parents had bought me two Christmases ago.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

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

He ran photo safaris in Kenya, before meeting his wife and moving to Scotland to set up Touch the Wild photography full time.

From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2025

He runs beginner shoots at Hogganfield and other lochs in central Scotland, advancing to island tours and even international safaris.

From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2025

Robin’s wife, Carrie MacDonald, is his business partner, and she often accompanies him on safaris with clients.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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

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