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

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Moroccan state broadcaster Medi 1 TV said 294 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were arrested Saturday while attempting to enter Ceuta. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 Because of the unique mandate situation (see below), Namibia is one of the sub-Saharan African countries considered the last to gain independence from a colonial power; another is Zimbabwe, which gained independence from Great Britain in 1980. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 Those findings come from a trial that only included women — who make up the majority of all new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa. — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026 My company specializes in cross-border remittance in places throughout the Indian subcontinent, northern and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. — Zaki Farooq, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 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 25 Aug. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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