Desert whose name comes from the Arabic for "desert"

SAHARA

This vast North African expanse is home to the world's tallest dunes and shares its name with a type of hot, dry wind that blows across its sands.

The clue plays on the literal meaning of the word "Sahara," which is the world’s largest hot desert. Its name comes directly from the Arabic word "صحراء" (ṣaḥrā’), meaning "desert" or "wilderness," making the answer a straightforward reference to its own definition. This is a classic example where the clue hints at the origin of the word rather than describing the place itself.