American Sign Language
noun
a visual-gesture language, having its own semantic and syntactic structure, used by deaf people in the U.S. and English-speaking parts of Canada. ASL
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American Sign Language
Americannoun
American sign language
British
noun
Etymology
Origin of American Sign Language
First recorded in 1960–65
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.
See Examples For:
Her father, Joshua Hottle, first shared news of her death in American Sign Language in a tearful video posted to Facebook.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Her father, Joshua Hottle, posted a video statement via Facebook, using American Sign Language to confirm details of her death.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
The children were thriving, learning American Sign Language and unbothered by their deafness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
Disney Animation announced Wednesday that “Songs in Sign Language,” comprised of three musical numbers from recent Disney movies newly reimagined in American Sign Language, will debut April 27 in honor of National Deaf History Month.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026
Ever since I met her, we’ve been communicating primarily through American Sign Language.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Four of those killed belonged to the deaf community, Sauschuck said, asking television cameras to include the American sign language interpreter at the press conference in their frames.
From Reuters ● Oct. 28, 2023
Actress Sandra Mae Frank performed both “The Star Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful” in American sign language.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 13, 2022
But the school is international baccalaureate certified, offers 29 A.P. courses and has American sign language, which excited Isabella.
From New York Times ● Nov. 27, 2021
A 44-year-old gorilla called Koko has the vocabulary of a three-year-old child after learning 1,000 words of American sign language.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 15, 2016
Once, during a John Lee Hooker show, Lebrun began projecting a giant image of a Native American chief in full headdress demonstrating Native American sign language while Hooker played "Born Under a Bad Sign."
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2014
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.
