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

Conversely, El Niño typically brings drier conditions to the Pacific Northwest, as well as Central America, northern South America, the Caribbean, Australia, Indonesia, and parts of southern Asia, experts said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 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

Among the slashed programs were some dedicated to monitoring and containing New World screwworm in Central America.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026

Let’s take a look at people and corn in the area that is now Mexico and Central America.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz