American

[ uh-mer-i-kuhn ]

adjective

1. of or relating to the United States of America or its inhabitants:

   an American citizen.

2. of or relating to North or South America; of the Western Hemisphere:

   the American continents.

3. of or relating to the Indigenous peoples of North and South America.

noun

1. a citizen of the United States of America.
2. a native or inhabitant of North or South America.
3. an Indigenous person of North or South America.
4. American English.
5. a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, four driving wheels, and no rear truck.

American

/ əˈmɛrɪkən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the United States of America, its inhabitants, or their form of English
2. of or relating to the American continent

noun

1. a native or citizen of the US
2. a native or inhabitant of any country of North, Central, or South America
3. the English language as spoken or written in the United States

Other Words From

• A·mer·i·can·ly adverb
• A·mer·i·can·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of American¹

First recorded in 1570–80; Americ(a) + -an

Example Sentences

The American president is, after all, the commander in chief of the world’s most formidable fighting machine, and the figure ultimately responsible for the nation’s safety and security.

From Los Angeles Times

“Elon was texting me this morning. Think about having the brain of Elon Musk to sacrifice his time away from his businesses to help every single American make government more efficient, more accountable,” McCarthy said.

From Los Angeles Times

Americans' interest in getting away has risen since the election.

From Salon

The families sued Jones after he falsely claimed that the shooting was a false flag to justify the confiscation of Americans' firearms.

From Salon

The pocket is a variant of the American bully breed, which includes the larger and more muscular XL.

From BBC