America

[uh-mer-i-kuh]

noun

1. United States.

2. North America.

3. South America.

4. Also called the Americas. North and South America considered together.

America

/ əˈmɛrɪkə /

noun

1. short for the United States of America

2. Also called: the Americas. the American continent, including North, South, and Central America

“America”

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.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of “America”¹

C16: from Americus , Latin form of Amerigo ; after Amerigo _Vespucci

Example Sentences

America has long followed suit, featuring the faces of our leaders on our currency, but with an important caveat: They had to be long out of power and in their graves.

From Salon

His remarks set off alarm bells about America’s collapsing democracy.

From Salon

"If I was going to Costa Rica, or central America, for security reasons - you need the destination knowledge from someone who knows somewhere inside out."

From BBC

While the new fees are often already baked into product prices, some goods land in America without the tariffs being paid.

From Los Angeles Times

He called Abbey’s novel “relevant as ever,” both a love letter to America and a sharp meditation on the morality of violence — especially when aimed at the systems and machinery of power.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

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.”