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-
plural Americans
1
: an Indigenous person 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 english

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The odds that a person will develop lung cancer in their lifetime is about 1 in 19, the American Cancer Society says. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 The cost to book the arena in those days was a whopping $1,000 a night, though that was discounted to $688 for the American Legion veterans. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Last October, during what became the longest government shutdown in American history, the President posted a series of photographs of his renovation of the White House’s Lincoln Bathroom. — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 Its rooftop bar, Zefiro, is a hotspot for creative cocktails with views of the Duomo, while a restaurant by Korean-American chef Akira Back, who trained under Nobu, brings delicious Japanese fusion cuisine to a city dominated by pasta and steak. — Laura Itzkowitz, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026 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

Phrases Containing American

Browse Nearby Words

America, Gulf of
American
Americana
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“American.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/American. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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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
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