# American

/əˈmɛɹəkən/ (US) · CEFR A1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/american
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

a person who comes from or lives in the United States. It can also describe someone from North or South America, though this is less common in everyday English.

For teachers: a citizen or inhabitant of the United States of America; less commonly, a native or inhabitant of the North or South American continents.

## Examples

- My new neighbor is an American from Chicago.
- The museum exhibit features several famous Americans who changed the course of modern history.

## Usage notes

- Capitalized in all contexts. When used to refer to the continents rather than the country, it is often preceded by 'North' or 'South' for clarity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.