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

Suicide rates among adults ages 25–44 also increased for people who identify as Hispanic (19.4%) and American Indian or Alaskan Native (33.7%). —Kristal Dixon, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025

Now, those gowns are heading to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025

The objective is to address the disproportionate number of Black and American Indian/Alaska Native children in foster care. —Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025

That includes 81% of Black students, 74% of American Indian/Alaska Native students, 72% of Hispanic or Latino students, 70% of white students, and 66% of Asian students, according to a 2023 report from the National Center for Education Statistics based on data during the 2019-20 academic year. —Breana Jamison, The Conversation, 19 Feb. 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