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.

---

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)

---

Sahara Cultural  

1. Desert in northern Africa.

---

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

In earlier research published in 2023, scientists discovered that dust blowing from the Sahara Desert across the Atlantic Ocean can combine with salt from sea spray to create tiny particles called iron salt aerosols.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

It was much smaller than what we’re expecting of this new one, which is set up where the massive Sahara Tent is during Coachella.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Madonna first appeared at Coachella in 2006, popping up at the Sahara Tent instead of the main stage to perform Confessions On A Dance Floor.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Zakia Zaghouani, 24, had been employed at the Sahara Hotel, a tourist destination in an unnamed Algerian city.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

We knew it had no atmosphere and we knew its surface could be either colder than Siberia in January or hotter than the Sahara Desert in August.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

Related Words

• wilderness