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

Meanwhile, Westerners in general, and Americans in particular, don’t like attacking first.

From Barron's

For one, it boosted American military presence in the region, and provided a check on Beijing's growing power.

From BBC

While primarily in English, the American production incorporates Asian iconography, food and some Korean language to showcase its South Korean roots.

From BBC

The meeting was to mark a thaw in relations between the two South American neighbors.

From Barron's

They warn that millions of people -- including elderly voters, lower-income Americans and people whose names have changed after marriage -- may not have immediate access to documents proving citizenship.

From Barron's