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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Discover More

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

When they are found, it is often in desert environments such as the Sahara or Antarctica, where preservation conditions are favorable.

From Science Daily

Starc remains again in Adelaide, unbeaten on 33, and Thursday's forecast - which predicts Adelaide to be hotter than Western Sahara - only reinforces the importance in a swift England exit from the field.

From BBC

However, the papier-mâché seashell was carried by the wind quite a long way before landing—improbably, but not impossibly—in the scorching sands of the Sahara.

From Literature

Many people in Western Sahara hope Morocco's long-discussed autonomy plan for the area -- now backed by the UN Security Council -- will accelerate development and end the half-century-long territorial dispute.

From Barron's

Some analysts believe Sansal was a victim of a dispute between Paris and Algiers over the Western Sahara.

From Barron's

Related Words

• wilderness