sub-Saharan

adjective

sub-Sa·​ha·​ran ˌsəb-sə-ˈher-ən How to pronounce sub-Saharan (audio)
-ˈhär-
: of, relating to, or being the part of Africa south of the Sahara

Examples of sub-Saharan in a Sentence

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Dengue is a leading concern after travel in much of Latin America and Asia, while malaria is especially important in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and typhoid and paratyphoid fever loom largest in South Asia. — Andrés Henao, The Conversation, 27 Oct. 2026 These include Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa to electricity by 2030. — Lara Murray-Sterzel, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026 The move to acquire a Nigeria license is part of the bank’s Africa expansion, including the appointment of an investment banking lead for sub-Saharan Africa this year, and opening offices in Nairobi and Abidjan. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026 My favorite touch was the large bench in the walk-in dressing room, carved in the shape of a serval—a wild cat native to sub-Saharan Africa. — Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sub-Saharan

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sub-Saharan was in 1899

Rhymes for sub-Saharan

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Browse Nearby Words

subroutine
sub-Saharan
subsaline
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Cite this Entry

“Sub-Saharan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sub-Saharan. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sub-Saharan

adjective
sub-Sa·​ha·​ran
ˌsəb-sə-ˈhar-ən, 
ˈsəb-, 
-ˈher-, 
-ˈhär-
: of, relating to, or being the part of Africa south of the Sahara
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