from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
American
adj 1: of or relating to the United States of America or its
people or language or culture; "American citizens";
"American English"; "the American dream"
2: of or relating to or characteristic of the continents and
islands of the Americas; "the American hemisphere"; "American
flora and fauna"
n 1: a native or inhabitant of the United States
2: the English language as used in the United States [syn:
{American English}, {American language}, {American}]
3: a native or inhabitant of a North American or Central
American or South American country
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
American \A*mer"i*can\ ([.a]*m[~e]r"[i^]*kan), a. [Named from
Americus Vespucius.]
1. Of or pertaining to America; as, the American continent:
American Indians.
[1913 Webster]
2. Of or pertaining to the United States. "A young officer of
the American navy." --Lyell.
[1913 Webster]
{American ivy}. See {Virginia creeper}.
{American Party} (U. S. Politics), a party, about 1854, which
opposed the influence of foreign-born citizens, and those
supposed to owe allegiance to a foreign power.
{Native american Party} (U. S. Politics), a party of
principles similar to those of the American party. It
arose about 1843, but soon died out.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
American \A*mer"i*can\ ([.a]*m[~e]r"[i^]*kan), n.
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.
[1913 Webster]
The name American must always exalt the pride of
patriotism. --Washington.
[1913 Webster]