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

Being Filipina American really shapes my relationship to food and to gathering and care.

From Los Angeles Times

A Stanford study showed that the percentage of Americans who frequently interact with their neighbors declined among all age groups from 2017 to 2023.

From Los Angeles Times

He says American stand-up is about taking a topic and making it funny, aspiring for a five-minute joke-filled late night TV spot.

From Los Angeles Times

White and the other activists finished their speeches and then began a cacerolazo — a type of Latin American protest where people clang pots and pans.

From Los Angeles Times

Roberts told her he was having problems with his American bank account and asked her to loan him £4,000 for a deposit on a flat, which she agreed to do.

From BBC