Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
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American

noun · adjective US /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

How often you will meet it

Rank 959 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 19,176 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.009% of every word in the library.

It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.

What it means

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of the United States
  2. the English language as used in the United States also: American English, American language
  3. a native or inhabitant of a North American or Central American or South American country

adjective

  1. of or relating to the United States of America or its people or language or culture American citizensAmerican English
  2. of or relating to or characteristic of the continents and islands of the Americas the American hemisphereAmerican flora and fauna

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

American in real books

Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.

  • Harry Johnston, an American, was as dark and sallow as a Spaniard.

    The Land of the Changing Sun · Will N. (Will Nathaniel) Harben · Chapter 1

  • To stand by one’s own rights is inherent in every true American.

    Poems Every Child Should Know · Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) [Editor] Burt · Chapter 1

  • In England all men spoke one tongue, speciously like American to the ear, but on cross-examination unintelligible.

    Actions and reactions · Rudyard Kipling · Chapter 1

  • He was an American he stated, and had been sent to me by the woman for whom I worked.

    Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1

  • The girl had been presented by the American minister, and had had a sort of success because she dressed and danced exquisitely.

    Emily Fox-Seton · Frances Hodgson Burnett · Chapter 1

Nearby in the frequency table

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