savanna
UK[səˈvænə]US[səˈvænə]
n
A large flat area of grassy land, especially in Africa, with few trees.
Etymology
The word 'savanna' entered English in the mid-16th century from the Spanish 'zavana', which itself was borrowed from the Taíno (an Arawakan language of the Caribbean) word 'zabana', meaning a treeless plain or grassland. The Spanish explorers applied the term to describe the grassy plains they encountered in the New World. Over time, its usage became generalized in English to refer specifically to the vast, open tropical or subtropical grasslands, most famously associated with the ecosystems of Africa, thus shifting from a specific local term to a standard scientific and geographical classification.
Analysis
This word is a loanword adopted as a single, unanalyzable unit in English.
Examples
Lions are among the most iconic predators of the African savanna.
The acacia trees dotting the savanna provide crucial shade for wildlife.
Fires are a natural and important part of the savanna ecosystem's renewal cycle.