AMERICAN • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of American

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/əmˈɛrəkən/ /əmˈɛrɪkən/ Listen

adjective

American adj.

Of or pertaining to America; as, the American continent: American Indians.

Of or pertaining to the United States. "A young officer of the American navy."

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.

noun

American 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. "The name American must always exalt the pride of patriotism."

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Etymology of 'American'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"American" Quotes from Famous Books

... for their guidance and be above all things "the little friend to all" that makes such a distinctive feature in the work and training of every day's meeting of Scouts. Consider it a paramount duty to attend all meetings and get the most out of the opportunities offered you in the American Band of Girl Scouts. Make your duties amusements and your amusements duties. So will you find that you daily increase in usefulness and your pleasure in life will grow broader. In union there is strength. The Union of Scouts is to be ...

— How Girls Can Help Their Country • Juliette Low

... girl, nor a German, nor a Scotch, but a full-blooded American, and "just as good as her employers," with whom she always ate and sat. It was not Mrs. Markham's custom to keep a girl the year round, but when she did it was Eunice Plympton, the daughter of the drunken fiddler who earned his livelihood by playing for the dances the young people ...

— Ethelyn's Mistake • Mary Jane Holmes

... a matter of fact, the powers of the legislative and the executive were intertwined. This particular error has had a curious history. Montesquieu's great reputation led to his view of the constitution of England being widely accepted as the true one; as such it was adopted by the American leaders after the War of Independence; and its influence is plainly visible in the present constitution of the United States. Such is the strange power of good writing over the ...

— Landmarks in French Literature • G. Lytton Strachey

... the guiding star to the United States. But to imitate literally the accidental policy of Washington, would be to violate his principles. If the spirit of Washington could raise its voice now, in this distinguished circle of American patriots, it would loudly and emphatically protest against such a course, and would denounce it as not only injurious to his memory, but also as dangerous to the future of this Republic which he founded with such ...

— Select Speeches of Kossuth • Kossuth

... for the British navy: it was scarcely acquainted with its own strength; the nation, disgusted with the nature of the American war, refused its sympathy; without that sympathy ministers could do nothing effectual, and never can do any thing effectual. The character of the cabinet was feebleness, the spirit of the metropolis was faction; the king, ...

— Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXLII. Vol. LV. April, 1844 • Various

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