American
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the United States of America or its inhabitants.
an American citizen.
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of or relating to North or South America; of the Western Hemisphere.
the American continents.
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of or relating to the Indigenous peoples of North and South America.
noun
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a citizen of the United States of America.
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a native or inhabitant of North or South America.
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an Indigenous person of North or South America.
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a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, four driving wheels, and no rear truck.
adjective
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of or relating to the United States of America, its inhabitants, or their form of English
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of or relating to the American continent
noun
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a native or citizen of the US
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a native or inhabitant of any country of North, Central, or South America
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the English language as spoken or written in the United States
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of American
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
New findings from Fox Chase Cancer Center, presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting, suggest that melanoma does not behave the same way throughout the aging process.
From Science Daily • May 31, 2026
Haimbe’s comments came after the then-U.S. ambassador in Lusaka, Michael Gonzales, accused Zambian officials of being corrupt and nonresponsive to American overtures.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
If being an American of approximately liberal inclinations in the 21st century seems to require constant public apologies, some disgruntled Yanks actually are exploring their escape options.
From Salon • May 31, 2026
“Being Mexican American, I’d like to reach out to Mexican Americans,” Moreno said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026
She was to help pack up the American embassy in Warsaw.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
