American

== English == === Alternative forms === Am., Amer. (abbr.); Americanian (humorous); Murican (pejorative or humorous) === Etymology === From America +‎ -n. compare Latin amerī̆canus. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /əˈmɛɹ.ɪ.kən/, (rural US) IPA(key): /əˈmɝ.ə.kən/ (weak vowel merger) IPA(key): /əˈmɛɹ.ə.kən/, /əˈmɛɹ.kən/ === Noun === American (plural Americans) A citizen or national of the United States of America. 1852 July 5, Frederick Douglass, speech to the Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society, Rochester, New York: Americans! your republican politics, not less than your republican religion, are flagrantly inconsistent. You boast of your love of liberty, your superior civilization, and your pure Christianity, while the whole political power of the nation... is solemnly pledged to support and perpetuate the enslavement of three millions of your countrymen. 1984 Aug. 11, Ronald Reagan, soundcheck for a weekly address: My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes. Any inhabitant of the Americas. (historical) A citizen or inhabitant of British America. (archaic) An indigenous inhabitant of the Americas. [from 16th c.] Hyponyms: American Indian, Native American (obsolete, 18th century to 19th century) An inhabitant of French or Spanish New World colonies. 1839, Washington Irving, 'National Nomenclature', The Knickerbocker In France, when I have announced myself as an American, I have been supposed to belong to one of the French colonies; in Spain, to be from Mexico, or Peru, or some other Spanish-American country. (informal, humorous, colloquial) The dialect of English spoken in and around the contiguous United States of America. Francis E. Clark, in: (clipping of) American cheese. (rail transport) A steam locomotive of the 4-4-0 wheel arrangement. (uncountable, US printing, rare, dated) A size of type smaller than German, 1-point type. ==== Usage notes ==== Within most English dialects, American now refers particularly to the people of the most populous English-speaking country in the Americas, the United States of America. Other senses now typically require qualifiers: Central American, Native American, etc. Some speakers maintain separate idiolects, however, including some Native Americans. Many Latin Americans also pointedly maintain Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese's preference for using Américas to refer to the Americas generally, and estado-unidense and estadounidense when referring to both the country and its inhabitants. Usage of unqualified American as a language separate from or in place of English, though once sincere, is now typically considered a sign of poor education or used to mock others' supposed ignorance, parochialism, or excessive nationalism. ==== Synonyms ==== (person from the U.S.): Yank (UK & Commonwealth); Ameritard (derogatory), Seppo (pejorative); USian, Usonian, United Statian, US-American, United Statesian (rare); see also Thesaurus:American (person from the Americas): Western Hemispherian, New Worlder (uncommon) ==== Hyponyms ==== See Thesaurus:North, South, & Native American ==== Descendants ==== → Japanese: メリケン ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === American (comparative more American, superlative most American) Of, from, or pertaining to the United States of America, its people, or its culture. (uncommon) Of, from, or pertaining to the Americas. (historical) Of, from, or pertaining to British North America. (archaic) Of, from, or pertaining to the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas. Hyponyms: American Indian, Native American (finance, of an option, not comparable) Able to be exercised on any date between its issue and expiry. ==== Usage notes ==== See above. ==== Synonyms ==== (from or related to the USA): Yank (UK & Commonwealth); USian, USAian, Usanian, Usonian, United Statian, US American, United Statesian (rare) (from or related to the Americas): Western Hemispherian ==== Hyponyms ==== See Thesaurus:North, South, & Native American ==== Coordinate terms ==== (timing of option exercise): Bermudan, Canary, European, Verde ==== Translations ==== === Proper noun === American A township in Allen County, Ohio, United States. === Derived terms === === Anagrams === in camera, Cinerama, Camerina, Carêmian, marcaine, amacrine