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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

See Examples For:

America “America”

Starbucks has said much of its store growth in the short term will be outside North America.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

El Adli said the fossils likely belonged to an animal from one of two extinct mammal families that roamed North America during the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Joshua had signed for a UK fight and moving it to America would have left him worse off because of the tax implications.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

The original’s success paved the way for a surge in shows centering Black life in America, including “Living Single,” “Moesha” and “Martin.”

From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026

She raved on and on, as she always does, about money, the need for you to be educated in America, and the imperative nature of a good marriage.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

And finally, lovers of Maurizio Cattelan’s “America”, rejoice.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2025

The artist initially intended to create five matching versions of his toilet, which he titled “America” as a way to question which spaces in a museum get deemed sacred versus profane.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025

For much of our history Americans have been enchanted by a fable of their own invention: that we are one people, that “America” means more or less the same thing to us all.

From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2025

The country wasn’t colloquially referred to as “America” until 1898.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

We like the term “America” better than “the United States”.

From The Short Constitution by William F. Russell