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

Washington was nominated for “The Hurricane” and Spacey won for his work in “American Beauty.”

From Los Angeles Times

The “Euphoria” actor has been enrolled as a student at the University of Southern California where she is majoring in dramatic arts and minoring in African American studies.

From Los Angeles Times

There is scepticism among Western officials that Storm Shadow and the American Atacms will be decisive.

From BBC

It also comes at a key time for millions of Americans, as elevated grocery prices and persistent inflation have exacerbated food insecurity across the country.

From Salon

“I would implore our leadership to go to the important issues the American people are thinking about: that’s completing our work at the end of the year and moving into next year.”

From Salon