Refers to the descendants of the various indigenous populations that occupied the land now designated America.
Most frequently, a person who is a member of any Native American tribe, band, group, or nation in the "lower" or conterminous 48 States of the United States and peoples indigenous to the United States, including Alaska, i.e., Alaska Indians, Eskimos (Inuits), Aleuts, and Alaska Natives.
(na•tive a•mer•i•can) n. – a descendant of any of the peoples who lived in North, Central or South America before European explorers and colonists arrived.
a person who is indigenous to the countries in the Western Hemisphere, known as the Americas.
any member of the peoples living in North or South America before the Europeans arrived
of or pertaining to American Indians or their culture or languages; "Native American religions"; "Indian arrowheads"
The indigenous people of the North American continent. Native Americans are also sometimes referred to as "American Indians."
Indigenous people who inhabited the Americas and Caribbean prior to the European conquest. There is a debate as to whether the term Indian, American Indian, or Native American is preferable. Many Native Americans use Indian or tribe in referring to their people. Others suggest that these and similar words are incorrect and carry derogatory connotations. Recommended usage is to refer, whenever possible, to a particular people or nation by its name, i.e. Tigua, Navajo, Maya, Tarahumara, Alabama-Coushatta, Aztec, Cherokee, etc. . See Indigeneous.
any of the first people to occupy North, Central and South America; California "Indians"
Descendent of native inhabitants of the United States, regardless of tribal affiliation. American Indian is used by the U.S. Census Bureau, but Native American is preferred. The term Indian is not to be used in reference to Native Americans. The term is always capitalized; and hyphenated, only when used as an adjective.
