American Indian

American  

noun

1. Indian.

2. Amerind. AmerInd

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American Indian British  

noun

1. Also called: Native American.  a member of any of the indigenous peoples of North, Central, or South America, esp those of North America

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adjective

1. Also: Amerindian.  of or relating to any of these peoples, their languages, or their cultures

Sensitive Note

See Indian.

Usage

This term is still acceptable and is widely used by American Indians themselves. The most accepted phrase in general use nowadays is Native American

Etymology

Origin of American Indian

First recorded in 1725–35

Example Sentences

Previous Stanford-led research showed that long-term NO2 exposure is 60 percent higher in American Indian and Alaska Native households and 20 percent higher in Black and Hispanic or Latino households compared to the national average.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2025

The announcement follows a mid-November meeting with King and members of the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds, a US-based group dedicated to exposing people who falsely claim American Indian heritage.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025

Mr. Hedren is at his best when he relates the American Indian versions of the 1876 battles of the Rosebud and Little Big Horn, the two principal clashes of the Great Sioux War.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

David Aiona Chang, chair of the university’s Department of American Indian Studies, stressed the statement was not about Native American identity, but connections because they are “important in the community-oriented work we do.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2025

A onetime spy for the revolutionary leaders in Mexico, Wren was a rarity in the bureau: an American Indian.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann