ENGLISH
REFERENCE

obama

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˌoʊˈbɑmə// oba·ma

n. the 44th president of the United States, who served from 2009 to 2017. He was the first African American to hold this office.

n. the surname of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. When used as a proper name, it refers specifically to the American statesman or his family.


SIMPLE

Obama gave a famous speech in Chicago.

CONTEXTUAL

Many historians study the Obama administration to understand the changes in American healthcare policy during the early 21st century.

COMPLEX

The political legacy of the Obama era is often defined by the passage of the Affordable Care Act and a shift toward multilateralism in foreign diplomacy.

Usage

A proper noun; almost always capitalized. In political journalism, it may be used as a modifier before another noun, such as 'the Obama years'.

© 2026 English Reference