American Indian

noun

plural American Indians
: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere except often certain peoples (such as the Yupik and Inuit) who live in arctic regions
especially : an American Indian of North America and especially the U.S. compare native american
American Indian adjective

Examples of American Indian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Zoom in: The committee accepted one additional amendment, from Rep. Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis, to restore funding for the Civil Rights Commission and the Native American Indian Affairs Commission and to increase the appropriation for the minority health initiative. Arika Herron, Axios, 17 Feb. 2025 The release details how the DOD will no longer formally celebrate cultural awareness months, including Black History Month, Pride Month, or National American Indian Heritage Month. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025 Leonard Peltier, one of the surviving leaders of the American Indian Movement, has been in prison for 50 years following a contentious conviction. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 10 Feb. 2025 That meant all activities related to Black History Month were banned, as were events marking Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National American Indian Heritage Month, LGBTQ Pride Month, Women’s History Month, Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Holocaust Remembrance Day. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for American Indian 

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of American Indian was in 1650

Dictionary Entries Near American Indian

Cite this Entry

“American Indian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/American%20Indian. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

American Indian

noun
: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere except often certain peoples (as the Yupik and Inuit) who live in arctic regions
especially : an American Indian of North America and especially the U.S.
American Indian adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on American Indian

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!