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European

American  
[yoor-uh-pee-uhn, yur-] / ˌjʊər əˈpi ən, ˌjɜr- /

adjective

  1. of or relating to Europe or its inhabitants.

  2. native to or derived from Europe.

    traditional European customs; European languages.


noun

  • Europeans
    plural
  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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of European

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

But Lagarde’s willingness to roam widely across European policy has characterized her ECB tenure, due to end next year.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 18, 2026

Binance was preparing a big announcement in late May that would unlock the European market for the world’s largest crypto exchange.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 18, 2026

"However, I think deep down, I definitely I lean towards feeling more European in my ideas and ideals."

From BBC Sep. 17, 2026

Smith also made history of his own, becoming, at 35 years and 141 days, the oldest English outfielder to make their debut in major European competition since Ipswich's Reginald Pickett in 1962.

From BBC Sep. 17, 2026

Throughout the Adams presidency, Jefferson and his Republican followers had been insisting that the French Revolution was the American Revolution on European soil and that France was therefore America’s major international ally.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Building bridges with Europe makes sense, he said: "I think it brings in more money for Canada and more culture, brings Europeans over, probably solves a lot of problems."

From BBC Sep. 17, 2026

Europeans, and especially Western Europe's leadership elites, have succumbed to a decades-long "crisis of disbelief", argues Andrew Michta, a Polish-born American academic who is professor of strategic studies at the Hamilton School, University of Florida.

From BBC Sep. 17, 2026

The Lebanese president has also called on Europeans, Americans and Arab nations to support the Lebanese army.

From Barron's Sep. 17, 2026

However, Europeans fumbled perhaps their best chance to change the momentum when Icelanders voted narrowly on Aug. 29 against resuming negotiations on entering the European Union.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 7, 2026

What has happened since Europeans first encountered the land masses known as North and South America?

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

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