Central America

American  

noun

1. continental North America, S of Mexico, usually considered as comprising Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. 227,933 sq. mi. (590,346 sq. km).

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Central America British  

noun

1. an isthmus joining the continents of North and South America, extending from the S border of Mexico to the NW border of Colombia and consisting of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Area: about 518 000 sq km (200 000 sq miles)

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Central America Cultural  

1. Region in the southernmost portion of North America, linked to South America by the Isthmus of Panama; includes Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

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The United States government has often taken the position that Central American affairs directly affect American interests. Accordingly, it has often provided financial and military aid to Central American governments and occasionally intervened militarily.

Countries in Central America (except for Belize and Costa Rica) are characterized by unstable governments and very low per capita income.

Other Word Forms

• Central American
  noun

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Central America

Add in the fact that they are used to playing at this altitude, albeit typically against lower quality opposition from across North and Central America, and they are a very dangerous opponent.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Agency for International Development, for example, was a program monitoring the advance of the New World screwworm north from Central America.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

And through it all, Infantino had the support of U.S. soccer officials, who helped him campaign for the job and secure key votes in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean region.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

Governments across the dry countries of Central America have raised alert levels over El Nino.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

To the many injured who do return to Central America, the hospital social worker pleads, “Tell other people there not to travel this way.”

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario