American Indian

noun

plural American Indians

: 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 American Indian of North America and especially the U.S. compare native american

American Indian adjective

Examples of American Indian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other category includes American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, non-U.S. citizens, and individuals with two or more races. Source: NCAA Graphic: Nigel Chiwaya / NBC News Locksley had been a career assistant before New Mexico hired him in 2009. —Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2025

Cooking for teens: Students in grades six to 12 are welcome to attend Teen Culinary Club with the San Diego American Indian Health Center. —Pomerado News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025

Members of the American Indian Movement also participated. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025

The Hopi-Choctaw artist born in 1947 has been at the vanguard of contemporary Native American art since enrolling as a member of the first class of 140 students at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, NM in 1962. —Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

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