all-American

[ awl-uh-mer-i-kuhn ]

adjective

1. representing the entire United States.
2. composed exclusively of American members or elements.
3. selected as the best in the United States, as in a sport:

   the all-American college football team of 1983.

noun

1. an all-American player or performer.

all-American

adjective

1. representative of the whole of the United States
2. composed exclusively of American members
3. (of a person) typically American

   the company looks for all-American clean-cut college students

Word History and Origins

Origin of all-American¹

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

I was a dorky Indo-English kid with a South Asian afro, and he was the all-American type, on the baseball team, et cetera.

From The Daily Beast

That all-American iconography has always been so potent in the Superman myth.

From The Daily Beast

But New Balance pledges that it will take the hit for any additional per-unit cost that comes from making an all-American shoe.

From The Daily Beast

Tsongas and Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME) have led the charge for an all-American recruit shoe in Congress.

From The Daily Beast

A powder-blue blazer with a patch reading “All-Time All-American” hung in a clear plastic bag from the closet doorknob.

From The Daily Beast

The whole country formed itself into an All-American team that rushed onward irresistibly.

From Project Gutenberg

Here is the common-sense way in which an all-American quarterback performs his duties.

From Project Gutenberg

That rattling double play had ended the game with the All-American team a victor by a score of four to three.

From Project Gutenberg

The two halves were both veterans, and one of them the previous season had been picked for the All-American team in his position.

From Project Gutenberg

I'd enjoy pitting my boys against this all-American team, even if we were defeated.

From Project Gutenberg