n.
Variant: also sa · van · nah
Pronunciation: s ə - ' va-n ə
Function: noun
Etymology: Spanish zavana, from Taino zabana
Date: 1555
1 : a treeless plain especially in Florida
2 a : a tropical or subtropical grassland (as of eastern Africa or northern So. America) containing scattered trees and drought-resistant undergrowth b : a temperate grassland with scattered trees (as oaks)