Native American

¹ American  

[ney-tiv uh-mer-i-kuhn] / ˈneɪ tɪv əˈmɛr ɪ kən /

noun

1. Indian.

2. a member of any of the aboriginal peoples of the Americas, including Indians and non-Indians.

---

native American ² American  

noun

1. a person born in the United States.

---

Native American British  

noun

1. A member of the indigenous peoples of North America

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Native Americans or any of their languages

Sensitive Note

See Indian, Eskimo.

Other Word Forms

• native-American adjective

Etymology

Origin of native American

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

A member of the Cherokee Nation, the 48-year-old Republican senator from the central state of Oklahoma is currently the only Native American serving in the US Senate.

From Barron's

José María Zuloaga gathers a motley outfit of army irregulars—it includes released Native American prisoners and a sharpshooting nun—to pursue the captive.

From The Wall Street Journal

Greenpeace maintains that it played only a small and peaceful role in the movement, which was led by Native Americans.

From Barron's

For instance, Park Service employees removed signage from the Grand Canyon about the mistreatment of Native Americans.

From Los Angeles Times

Native Americans were forcibly removed from their lands in the development of this nation and enslaved people were brought to America involuntarily.

From Los Angeles Times