American

1 of 2

noun

Amer·​i·​can ə-ˈmer-ə-kən  -ˈmər- 

-ˈme-rə-

plural Americans

1

: an Indigenous person 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

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 

-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

The modern American Dream is best described as a private bunker where the outside world arrives entirely in a cardboard box or a fiber-optic cable. — John Mac Ghlionn, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026

Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right think tank, said Trump would be repeating the same policy mistake as his predecessor, Democratic former President Joe Biden. — Bill Barrow, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Twenty years later, a mayoral candidate with the same last name, Abdullah Hammoud, previously a state representative who is not related to Abed Hammoud, was elected, becoming the first Arab American mayor of Dearborn. — Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 12 Sep. 2026

In the panicked days after the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, New Yorkers agreed that their city had changed forever. — Hannah Natanson, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing American

• African-American
• African American English
• African American Language
• African American Vernacular English
• Afro-American
• all-American
• American bison
• American chameleon
• American cheese
• American chestnut
• American chop suey
• American Civil Rights Movement
• American dog tick
• American dream
• American eel
• American elm
• American English
• American football
• American foxhound
• American goldfinch
• American Indian
• American mountain ash
• American Paint Horse
• American pit bull terrier
• American plan
• American Revised Version
• American robin
• American saddlebred
• American shad
• American shorthair
• American Sign Language
• American Staffordshire terrier
• American Standard Version
• American trotter
• American trypanosomiasis
• American water spaniel
• American way
• American wigeon
• Anglo-American
• anti-American
• (as) American as apple pie
• Asian-American
• Central American
• Early American
• Euro-American
• European American
• Franco-American
• inter-American
• Italian-American
• Latin American
• Native American
• non-American
• North American
• Pan-American
• South American
• Spanish American
• the American Dream
• the American League
• the American Revolution
• the American Way
• Ugly American
• un-American

Kids Definition

American

1 of 2 noun

Amer·​i·​can ə-ˈmer-ə-kən 

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