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

According to 1996 reporting by The Times, “Siembra” delivered pulsating salsa rhythms that “carried messages of freedom at a time when most of Latin America was oppressed by military dictatorships.”

From Los Angeles Times

But for many, the absence of a Capitol tribute underscores a familiar tension: America celebrates its reformers rhetorically, even as its institutions struggle to fully honor them.

From Salon

In 1822, F. & R. Lockwood, a small cartography firm in New York, published what historians today believe was the first of its kind: a board game invented and marketed in America.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Brazil is India's largest trade partner in Latin America. We are committed to taking our bilateral trade beyond $20 billion in the coming five years," Modi said.

From Barron's

Of the nearly 40 locations in North America, at least half of them are based in California, which has the highest population of Asian Americans in the United States.

From Los Angeles Times