Definitions for American
əˈmɛr ɪ kənAmer·i·can

Wiktionary(3.00 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Americannoun

   An inhabitant of the Americas. More often this is specified as either North American, Central American or South American.

   Every American's origin is, historically speaking, by immigration, if scientific speculation that points to a human origin in Asia and a migration to the New World over frozen Bering Strait turns out to be correct.

   Etymology: * , or via Modified Latin Americanus with the same etymology.

2. Americannoun

   A person born in, or a citizen or inhabitant of, the United States of America.

   She went from Mexico to the USA before she gave birth, so her child would be an American.

   Etymology: * , or via Modified Latin Americanus with the same etymology.

3. Americanadjective

   Of or pertaining to the Americas. More often this is specified as either "North American" or "South American."

   Etymology: * , or via Modified Latin Americanus with the same etymology.

4. Americanadjective

   Of, from, or pertaining to the United States of America, its people or its culture.

   Etymology: * , or via Modified Latin Americanus with the same etymology.

5. Americannoun

   The English language as spoken in the USA; American English.

   Etymology: * , or via Modified Latin Americanus with the same etymology.

Princeton's WordNet(1.90 / 29 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Americannoun

   a native or inhabitant of the United States

2. American English, American language, Americannoun

   the English language as used in the United States

3. Americanadjective

   a native or inhabitant of a North American or Central American or South American country

4. Americanadjective

   of or relating to the United States of America or its people or language or culture

   "American citizens"; "American English"; "the American dream"

5. Americanadjective

   of or relating to or characteristic of the continents and islands of the Americas

   "the American hemisphere"; "American flora and fauna"

Webster Dictionary(2.00 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Americanadjective

   of or pertaining to America; as, the American continent: American Indians

   Etymology: [Named from Americus Vespucius.]

2. Americanadjective

   of or pertaining to the United States

   Etymology: [Named from Americus Vespucius.]

3. Americannoun

   a native of America; -- originally applied to the aboriginal inhabitants, but now applied to the descendants of Europeans born in America, and especially to the citizens of the United States

   Etymology: [Named from Americus Vespucius.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(1.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. American

   a-mer′ik-an, adj. pertaining to America, esp. to the United States.—n. a native of America.—v.t. Amer′icanise, to render American.—n. Amer′icanism, a custom, characteristic, word, phrase, or idiom peculiar to Americans: condition of being an American citizen: devotion to American institutions. [From America, so called unfairly from Amerigo Vespucci, a navigator who explored a small part of South America seven years after the first voyage of Columbus.]

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. american

   Quotes by american -- Explore a large variety of famous quotes made by american on the Quotes.net website.

Matched Categories

1. • Inhabitant

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'American' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #592

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'American' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1294

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'American' in Nouns Frequency: #1250

4. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'American' in Adjectives Frequency: #71

Anagrams for American »

1. in camera

2. amacrine

How to pronounce American?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say American in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of American in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of American in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of American in a Sentence

1. Jason Anderson:

   In these times, when we are not receiving a paycheck, we have( a) dedicated group of men and women performing their jobs and working for the American people.

2. Nancy Pelosi:

   The White House should be warned that continued efforts to hide the truth of the President's abuse of power from the American people will be regarded as further evidence of obstruction, mr. President, you are not above the law. You will be held accountable.

3. Kirsten Gillibrand:

   American military, if they do these reforms, will have fewer dangerous criminals and far more heroes ... The brave men and women we send to war to keep us safe deserve nothing less than a justice system equal to their sacrifice.

4. Morgan Ortagus:

   That is what a thuggish regime would do. That's not how a responsible nation would behave. Releasing any of that personal information of an American diplomat is completely unacceptable. That's not a protest. That's what a thuggish regime does, and it's unacceptable. this literally happens in every single country in which an American embassy is present. So our diplomat was doing her job and we commend her for her work.

5. Franklin D. Roosevelt:

   We must especially beware of that small group of selfish men who would clip the wings of the American Eagle in order to feather their own nests.

Images & Illustrations of American

Popularity rank by frequency of use