European

American  

[yoor-uh-pee-uhn, yur-] / ˌyʊər əˈpi ən, ˌyɜr- /

adjective

1. of or relating to Europe or its inhabitants.

2. native to or derived from Europe.

   traditional European customs; European languages.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Europe.

2. a person of European descent.

3. (in East Africa and Asia) a white person; Caucasian.

European British  

/ ˌjʊərəˈpɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Europe or its inhabitants

2. native to or derived from Europe

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Europe

2. a person of European descent

3. a supporter of the European Union or of political union of the countries of Europe or a part of it

Other Word Forms

• Europeanism noun
• Europeanly adverb
• anti-European adjective
• inter-European adjective
• non-European adjective
• pro-European adjective
• pseudo-European adjective
• un-European adjective

Etymology

Origin of European

1595–1605; < Latin Eurōpae(us) ( see Europe, -eous) + -an

Example Sentences

A spokesperson for European airline Lufthansa confirmed Friday in a statement shared with outlets that the coveted golden statuette has been located and is “safely in our care.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

As tensions mounted over President Trump's threats to annex Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, the European Parliament in January suspended the approval of the deal.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Unlike the U.S., where free speech is protected by the First Amendment, Britain and most European countries have stricter laws against hate speech or calls for violence.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

It was approved by the European Parliament in March, following the dispute.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

The level of fear rose higher when Americans saw how Nikita Khrushchev responded to a freedom movement in Hungary, one of the Eastern European countries controlled by the Soviet Union.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin