sub-Saharan

American  

[suhb-suh-har-uhn, -hair-uhn, -hahr-uhn] / ˌsʌb səˈhær ən, -ˈhɛər ən, -ˈhɑr ən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.

   a sub-Saharan country; sub-Saharan peoples.

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sub-Saharan British  

adjective

1. in, of, or relating to Africa south of the Sahara desert

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sub-Saharan Cultural  

1. Region in Africa south of the Sahara desert.

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Etymology

Origin of sub-Saharan

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sub-Saharan

In sub-Saharan Africa, diseases including trypanosomiasis and ehrlichiosis may have created serious obstacles for dogs.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

Forty two percent of immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree, compared with 33% of U.S.-born adults.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

For players, parents, coaches and local officials in sub-Saharan Africa, the equation might have looked very different.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026

While sub-Saharan Africa imports over $30 billion worth of textiles per year, the businessman is developing this industry in other countries such as Togo, Nigeria and Kenya.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

Some, including African rice, have remained virtually confined there; others, such as African yams, spread throughout other areas of sub-Saharan Africa; and two, the oil palm and kola nut, reached other continents.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond