American

1 of 2

noun

Amer·​i·​can ə-ˈmer-ə-kən How to pronounce American (audio) -ˈmər- How to pronounce American (audio)
-ˈme-rə-
1
: an American Indian 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

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 How to pronounce American (audio)
-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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Bollywood Dreams Come True In an Appealing Indian American Romcom Reviewed at London Film Festival (Special Presentations), Oct. 15, 2024. Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 Nov. 2024 Many business leaders have stepped up, participating in organizations like the Civic Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition of businesses that support fair and transparent elections, and using their influence to encourage every American to vote. Ian Simmons, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Swift's final American Eras Tour show is Sunday night in Indy. Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024 Yes, that’s right this award-winning American whiskey didn’t hail from outside of Louisville or Nashville. Brad Japhe, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for American 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of American was in 1568

Dictionary Entries Near American

Cite this Entry

“American.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/American. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

American

1 of 2 noun
Amer·​i·​can ə-ˈmer-ə-kən How to pronounce American (audio)
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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