American Indian

noun

plural American Indians

sometimes offensive; see usage paragraph below

: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere except often certain peoples (such as the Yupik and Inuit) who live in arctic regions

especially : an Indigenous person of North America and especially the U.S.

American Indian adjective sometimes offensive

Usage of Indian and American Indian

Due to its origin as a misnomer, its history of use by white colonizers, and its tendency to negate distinctions between Indigenous peoples, sense 2a of Indian is often considered offensive when used by a non-Indigenous person. The related term American Indian is sometimes considered offensive, but is more widely accepted than Indian. Suggested alternatives for both of these terms include Native American, Native/Indigenous/aboriginal person, and the nouns Native and First People. (See also First Nation, Inuit, and Métis.)That said, any of these names may be considered inappropriate or disrespectful where a more specific group designation (such as the name of a particular Indigenous nation) could be used instead. In such contexts, the usual recommendation is to use the group name that is preferred by the group or member being identified. The word Indian still appears in some official U.S. government titles, such as "Bureau of Indian Affairs" and "Indian Child Welfare Act." Similarly, the term American Indian appears throughout official U.S. government writing for and about Indigenous American peoples.

Examples of American Indian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the end, as Whipple desired, Congress passed the Indian Appropriations Act, essentially placing tribal nations under the control of the United States, according to the National Museum of the American Indian. —Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026

Inside the arena, the rally opened with local Native American activist Vincent Dionne singing the anthem of the American Indian Movement, which was founded in Minneapolis in 1968. —Nick Woltman, Twin Cities, 23 Jan. 2026

An Anata release show is set for February 6 in San Francisco, in collaboration with Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) and Sacramento Red Road Gathering. —Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 21 Jan. 2026

Rick Williams, president of People of the Sacred Land and a leader in the effort to build an American Indian Cultural Embassy, reads a sign at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. —Anna Alejo, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for American Indian

• amerindian

Kids Definition

American Indian

noun

: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere except often certain peoples (as the Yupik and Inuit) who live in arctic regions

especially : an American Indian of North America and especially the U.S.

American Indian adjective