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• America
  America

  noun

  United States.
• “America”
  “America”

  An American patriotic hymn from the nineteenth century, sung to the tune of the national anthem of Great Britain, “God Save the Queen.” It begins, “My country, 'tis of thee.”

America

American  

[uh-mer-i-kuh] / əˈmɛr ɪ kə /

noun

1. United States.

2. North America.

3. South America.

4. Also called the Americas.  North and South America considered together.

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America British  

/ əˈmɛrɪkə /

noun

1. short for the United States of America

2. Also called: the Americas.  the American continent, including North, South, and Central America

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“America” Cultural  

1. An American patriotic hymn from the nineteenth century, sung to the tune of the national anthem of Great Britain, “God Save the Queen.” It begins, “My country, 'tis of thee.”

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Usage

Spelling tips for America It can be difficult to remember how to spell the word America because it’s a place name that’s thought to be derived from a person’s name (Amerigo Vespucci). How to spell America: To remember how to spell America, think of a woman named Erica introducing herself: “Hi, I am Erica.”

Etymology

Origin of America

C16: from Americus , Latin form of Amerigo ; after Amerigo _Vespucci

Example Sentences

Plus, additional crude supplies in the form of exports coming mostly from the U.S. and also from countries in South America and Africa are softening the blow.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

He said the “New York financial people” who came to see him were too optimistic about how the average American sees China and the average Chinese sees America.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Droughts in parts of South America and South East Asia could hit crops at a time when the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is already disrupting the distribution of fertiliser.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Around the anniversary of the D-Day invasion on June 6, the whole place turns into a love-fest for America.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

Even across the ocean, the madness seemed to be spreading: the papers said America would enter.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom