Native American

noun

: a member of any of the indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere
especially : a Native American of North America and especially the U.S. compare american indian
Native American adjective

Examples of Native American in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Native American on the seal is supposedly based on one of two (or both) Native Americans who were among the first to greet the Pilgrims in Plymouth in 1620. Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025 Also included are funds for predominantly Black institutions and Native American-serving institutions, which are colleges that educate a large share of Black or Native students, but are not designated by the government as historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs) or tribal colleges. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 Our reporting resulted in new federal rules that went into effect last year that are aimed at speeding repatriations of Native American remains. Vianna Davila, ProPublica, 2 Sep. 2025 The current flag, which features a Native American beneath a colonial sword, has drawn criticism for years from Native groups and lawmakers. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Native American

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Native American was circa 1628

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Cite this Entry

“Native American.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Native%20American. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

Native American

noun
: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples of the western hemisphere
especially : a Native American of North America and especially the U.S. compare american indian
Native American adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Native American

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