American

American  

[uh-mer-i-kuhn] / əˈmɛr ɪ kən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the United States of America or its inhabitants.

   an American citizen.

2. of or relating to North or South America; of the Western Hemisphere.

   the American continents.

3. of or relating to the Indigenous peoples of North and South America.

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noun

1. a citizen of the United States of America.

2. a native or inhabitant of North or South America.

3. an Indigenous person of North or South America.

4. American English.

5. a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, four driving wheels, and no rear truck.

American British  

/ əˈmɛrɪkən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the United States of America, its inhabitants, or their form of English

2. of or relating to the American continent

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noun

1. a native or citizen of the US

2. a native or inhabitant of any country of North, Central, or South America

3. the English language as spoken or written in the United States

Other Word Forms

• Americanly adverb
• Americanness noun

Etymology

Origin of American

First recorded in 1570–80; Americ(a) + -an

Example Sentences

Together, the stores defined luxury to generations of Americans.

From The Wall Street Journal

Americans, especially parents, have been left with conflicting information and confusion.

From Barron's

European farmers fear the deal will lead to an influx of cheaper South American products due to production standards considered less stringent.

From Barron's

“I think we can accommodate both American interest and Greenland’s interests,” even though they might differ on several points, Greenland’s business minister, Naaja Nathanielsen, said Tuesday in London.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cranberg said he would encourage U.S. companies to take “bold but smart” risks in the South American country in order to reap the rewards, rather than waiting for “circumstances that would never fully align.”

From MarketWatch