American Indian

noun

UK /əˈmer.ɪ.kən ˈɪn.di.ən/

US /əˈmer.ɪ.kən ˈɪn.di.ən/

A person whose ancestors were the first people to live in America.

My teacher read us a story about an American Indian tribe.

SYNONYMS

Native American indigenous American first American aboriginal American

RELATED WORDS

tribe native indigenous ancestor heritage

OTHER MEANINGS

2. A member of any of the original peoples of North, Central, or South America.

Many American Indian nations have their own languages and traditions.

3. Relating to the first peoples of the Americas or their cultures.

The museum has a large collection of American Indian art.

4. A term used in historical texts to describe native peoples encountered by early European settlers.

The old map labeled the region as American Indian territory.