Native American

noun

plural Native Americans

: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere

especially : a Native American of North America and especially the U.S.

Native American adjective

Examples of Native American in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Native American Guardian’s Association (NAGA) argued that the New York Board of Regents’ 2023 rule banning the use of Native names or imagery by public schools is discriminatory and violates the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal treatment under the law. —Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026

In Kane County, members of the Native American community gathered in December to welcome back a relative that's been missing for generations. —Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026

The sentencing disparities for certain crimes are shocking; roughly four out of every five people who are convicted of statutory rape are Native American. —S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026

Native American Heritage Month proclamation. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 16 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Native American

noun

: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere

especially : a Native American of North America and especially the U.S. compare american indian

Native American adjective