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

The fire erupted as much of Southern California is expected to face strong Santa Ana winds this weekend.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Marc, known to family and friends as “Tiger,” had been working to build an accessory dwelling unit at the family’s Santa Ana home, where he planned to live with Loera-Zarco and their newborn.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Valencia González, whose nicknames include “Baldy,” “Bimbo” and “R-3,” was born in Santa Ana, Calif. He also has a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

I have run into her at my wife’s restaurant in Santa Ana, at movie theaters in Los Angeles, during online fundraisers for museums.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

When we arrived, on December 31, it was eighty-five degrees, and the Santa Ana winds whipped against the rickety walls of our motel room.

From "Kira-Kira" by Cynthia Kadohata