American

1 of 2

noun

Amer·​i·​can ə-ˈmer-ə-kən How to pronounce American (audio) -ˈmər- How to pronounce American (audio)
-ˈme-rə-
1
: an American Indian of North America or South America
2
: a native or inhabitant of North America or South America
3
: a native or inhabitant of the U.S. : a U.S. citizen
4

American

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of or relating to America
American people
2
: of or relating to the U.S. or its possessions or original territory
American soldiers
American embassies
American states
American culture
Americanness
ə-ˈmer-ə-kə(n)-nəs How to pronounce American (audio)
-ˈmər-
-ˈme-rə-
noun

Examples of American in a Sentence

Noun Americans in all 50 states. The President's speech began with the words “My fellow Americans…”.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Best known for his leading role on the CW’s All American, which is written by Nkechi Okoro and Greg Berlanti. Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2024 The plaintiffs include the International Fresh Produce Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AmericanHort and other organizations. Stuart Anderson, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Hillary Clinton, in 2007, floated the idea of giving each American newborn a $5,000 bond at birth. Russell Contreras, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024 Close behind is American rockers The Offspring with Supercharged (Concord/Universal), new at No. 4. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for American 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'American.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of American was in 1568

Dictionary Entries Near American

Cite this Entry

“American.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/American. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

American

1 of 2 noun
Amer·​i·​can ə-ˈmer-ə-kən How to pronounce American (audio)
1
: a person born or living in North America or South America
especially : a citizen of the U.S.
2
: the English language used in the U.S.

American

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of or relating to North or South America or their residents
American coastline
2
: of or relating to the U.S. or its citizens
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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