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

For Dani, it's to go on an African safari.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

But officials at the Kenya Wildlife Service—which manages the park—and local guides say they haven’t spotted any safari vehicles they know to be part of the Uber project.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

Although in the end she had packed lightly, according to the children’s instructions, Penelope had insisted on tucking two books into the large pockets of her rugged twill safari skirt.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

The company also had to iron out the logistical kinks of night safaris, when visitors might spot a hyena or an elusive leopard.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

As the debate drags out, the publicity is tarnishing Club Med’s eco-credentials and could make it increasingly hard to sell the resort, which will also offer safaris, as a dream destination to potential guests.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 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

The Bosnian officer apparently revealed that his Bosnian colleagues found out about the so-called safaris in late 1993 and then passed on the information to Italy's Sismi military intelligence in early 1994.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025

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

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