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
- Americanly adverb
- Americanness noun
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.
A systematic review of 25 studies published this year in the American Journal of Medicine found that prior-authorization delays were associated not just with hospitalizations but with lower rates of disease-free survival.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
Even as prices at the pump have stayed high, American consumers are paying less than many of their counterparts in Europe and Asia.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
The American Lung Assn., or ALA, assigns grades based on the number of unhealthy air days and the severity of pollution levels, using federal air quality standards.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
You could think of it as a test of how committed American corporations are to notions of fairness.
From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026
Misery and death touched every part of American life as the war raged through another year.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
