American

American  

[uh-mer-i-kuhn] / əˈmɛr ɪ kən /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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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 Word Forms

• Americanly adverb
• Americanness noun

Etymology

Origin of American

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

Example Sentences

A systematic review of 25 studies published this year in the American Journal of Medicine found that prior-authorization delays were associated not just with hospitalizations but with lower rates of disease-free survival.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

So far, those reports have painted a relatively upbeat picture of the American economy: Business at the country’s biggest banks is booming, and company executives have indicated that consumers are still spending.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

More than a dozen American warships have prevented exports from leaving Iranian ports since peace talks in Islamabad failed earlier this month.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

You could think of it as a test of how committed American corporations are to notions of fairness.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026

Mr. and Mrs. Fox were lucky parents; about half of American babies born in the mid-1800s died before their fifth birthday.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock