Sahara
/sə'hɑ:rə/
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Definition
- Proper noun:
- The Sahara: The world's largest hot desert, located in Northern Africa. It is characterized by vast expanses of sand dunes, rocky plateaus, and extreme aridity.
Usage Examples
- Proper noun:
- The Sahara covers much of North Africa.
- Crossing the Sahara by camel is a challenging journey.
- Temperatures in the Sahara can be extremely high during the day and very low at night.
Advanced Usage
"Sahara Desert": A common, though technically redundant, compound name used to specify the desert explicitly. ("Desert" is implied in "Sahara").
- The Sahara Desert is expanding southward due to desertification.
Figurative use: Used metaphorically to describe a place or situation that is barren, empty, or devoid of a specific thing.
- After the party, the fridge was a Sahara of snacks. (This is an idiomatic, creative use.)
Variants and Related Words
- Saharan (adjective): Of or relating to the Sahara Desert.
- The Saharan climate is harsh and dry.
Synonyms
- The Great Desert: A descriptive synonym emphasizing its size.
- The African Desert: A general descriptor of its location.
Related Phrases
- "A Saharan crossing": Refers to an expedition or journey across the Sahara.
- They planned a Saharan crossing for their next adventure.
Related Idioms
- "A cultural Sahara": An idiom describing a place perceived as lacking in cultural activity or intellectual stimulation.
- He called the small town a cultural Sahara, with no theaters or bookstores.
Noun
- the world's largest desert (3,500,000 square miles) in northern Africa