North America

noun

1. the northern continent of the Western Hemisphere, extending from Central America to the Arctic Ocean. Highest point, Denali, 20,300 feet (6,187 meters); lowest, Death Valley, 276 feet (84 meters) below sea level. About 9,360,000 square miles (24,242,400 square kilometers).

North America

noun

1. the third largest continent, linked with South America by the Isthmus of Panama and bordering on the Arctic Ocean, the N Pacific, the N Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. It consists generally of a great mountain system (the Western Cordillera) extending along the entire W coast, actively volcanic in the extreme north and south, with the Great Plains to the east and the Appalachians still further east, separated from the Canadian Shield by an arc of large lakes (Great Bear, Great Slave, Winnipeg, Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario); reaches its greatest height of 6194 m (20 320 ft) in Mount McKinley, Alaska, and its lowest point of 85 m (280 ft) below sea level in Death Valley, California, and ranges from snowfields, tundra, and taiga in the north to deserts in the southwest and tropical forests in the extreme south. Pop: 332 156 000 (2005 est). Area: over 24 000 000 sq km (9 500 000 sq miles)

North America

1. Third-largest continent (after Asia and Africa), comprising Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America.

Other Word Forms

• North American adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of North America¹

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

Economically weakened by that war, France sold off its holdings in North America to the Jefferson administration, in what became known as the Louisiana Purchase.

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Whirlpool, which is the largest U.S.-based appliance producer, said its sales rose unexpectedly as it gained traction in North America with new products.

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Growth was entirely driven by North America, which raises concerns over whether the company is delaying the impact of retailers reducing inventories, the analysts write.

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Barred owls, which moved over from eastern North America, are outcompeting spotted owls for food and shelter in their native territory.

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“We pulled back on the breadth and depth of promotional activity across our digital channels in North America,” said Chief Executive Andrew Rees, according to an AlphaSense transcript of the company’s postearnings call with analysts.

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