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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

Oil-rich Venezuela, a country of 28 million that was long among the wealthiest nations in Latin America, has suffered a decade of economic decline and mass emigration.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026

“When they say everything in America is big, I understand it. Why the hell is this quesadilla the size of my head?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

“We were rightly skeptical about this so-called ‘Sell America Trade’,” said Ed Yardeni, founder and president of Yardeni Research.

From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026

“It feels like America is crushing it thus far. They’re falling in love.”

From Slate • Jun. 25, 2026

I am where I want to be—on a boat that will beheading be heading for The United States of America.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman