safari
Americannoun
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a journey or expedition, for hunting, exploration, or investigation, especially in eastern Africa.
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the hunters, guides, vehicles, equipment, etc., forming such an expedition.
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any long or adventurous journey or expedition.
verb (used without object)
noun
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an overland journey or hunting expedition, esp in Africa
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any recreational journey or expedition
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the people, animals, etc, that go on the expedition
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing safari
Travel
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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.
See Examples For:
A pair of endangered tiger cubs have been born at a safari park in a significant boost for global conservation, with keepers hailing their arrival as a "real privilege".
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 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
As the number of cats has grown, so has a burgeoning safari trade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
Like any safari guide, Benitez had warned there were no guaranteed sightings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
Geoffrey ran a touristic safari business in Kenya, which was how we met, in a very romantic way.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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 African continent is famous for safaris and stunning terrestrial landscapes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 2025
"We've put a stop to it and there won't be any more safaris," the officer was told.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 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
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.
