Santa Ana

American  

[san-tuh an-uh, sahn-tah ah-nah] / ˈsæn tə ˈæn ə, ˈsɑn tɑ ˈɑ nɑ /

noun

1. a city in southwestern California.

2. a city in northwestern El Salvador.

3. Meteorology. (in southern California) a weather condition in which strong, hot, dust-bearing winds descend to the Pacific coast around Los Angeles from inland desert regions.

4. Santa Anna.

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Santa Ana British  

noun

1. a city in NW El Salvador: the second largest city in the country; coffee-processing industry. Pop: 172 000 (2005 est)

2. a city in SW California: commercial and processing centre of a rich agricultural region. Pop: 342 510 (2003 est)

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Santa Ana Scientific  

/ săn′təăn′ə /

1. A strong, dry, hot wind that blows from the desert regions of southern California toward the Pacific coast, usually in winter. The Santa Ana wind occurs when a region of high pressure forms over the Great Basin (the high plateau east of the Sierra mountains and west of the Rocky mountains). The clockwise rotation of air around this high-pressure region forces air down from the plateau. As it descends, the air warms up and picks up speed. Because the wind is hot and dry, it contributes to the hazardous fire conditions of southern California.

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Example Sentences

Two fires erupted in Southern California on Friday as Santa Ana winds pushed flames toward homes, triggering evacuations in Los Angeles and Riverside counties.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

After a record-breaking warm spell last month that made late winter feel like midsummer, the heat continued into April, with Santa Ana winds fueling local wildfires.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

By Friday, another round of Santa Ana winds will likely return to the region, bringing warm, dry air back to the region.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

The difference is especially stark in Santa Ana, where the median salary is $95,118 — over $56,000 less than the projected salary needed to live comfortably in the city for a single adult.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

“Oh, if you take that line, how about the grocery in Santa Ana? How about Checkers, my beauty?”

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck