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

The Powwow is part of the San Diego American Indian Health Center mission to serve the Native community. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026

American Indian/Alaskan Native — 1%. —Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 4 May 2026

The move is the result of a partnership between the Kane County Forest Preserve District and the American Indian Center of Chicago, which owns the animals in the collaborative conservation effort. —Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026

In 1973, members of the American Indian Movement and the Oglala Lakota tribe, who had occupied the South Dakota hamlet of Wounded Knee for 10 weeks, surrendered to federal authorities. —ABC News, 21 Apr. 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