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American

noun
Amer·​i·​can | \ ə-ˈmer-ə-kən, -ˈmər-, -ˈme-rə-\

Definition of American 

(Entry 1 of 2)

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 english

American

adjective

Definition of American (Entry 2 of 2)

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
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Other Words from American

Adjective

Americanness \ ə-​ˈmer-​ə-​kə(n)-​nəs , -​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…”.

First Known Use of American

Noun

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Statistics for American

Last Updated

14 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for American

The first known use of American was in 1568

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More Definitions for American

American

noun

English Language Learners Definition of American

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a person born, raised, or living in the U.S.

: a person born, raised, or living in North America or South America

American

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of American (Entry 2 of 2)

: of or relating to the U.S. or its citizens

: of or relating to North America, South America, or the people who live there

See the full definition for American in the English Language Learners Dictionary

American

noun
Amer·​i·​can | \ ə-ˈmer-ə-kən \

Kids Definition of American

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a citizen of the United States
2 : a person born or living in North or South America

American

adjective

Kids Definition of American (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of or relating to the United States or its citizens
2 : of or relating to North or South America or their residents

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More from Merriam-Webster on American

Spanish Central: Translation of American

Nglish: Translation of American for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of American for Arabic Speakers

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