amerind: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

It refers to the same group of people, but 'Amerind' is an older, more academic, and now largely outdated term, while 'Native American' is a more contemporary and widely used term.

It is not typically considered a slur, but it is often viewed as outdated, overly broad, and reductive. Using specific tribal or national names (e.g., Navajo, Cree, Cherokee) or broader modern terms like 'Native American' or 'indigenous peoples' is generally preferred for accuracy and respect.

They are often used interchangeably as adjectives. 'Amerindian' is slightly more common as the adjectival form. 'Amerind' can also function more easily as a noun (e.g., 'an Amerind'). Both are dated.

It persists as a technical label in certain linguistic theories, most notably Joseph Greenberg's highly contested hypothesis that groups all indigenous languages of the Americas (except Eskimo-Aleut and Na-Dené) into a single, ancient macro-family.

A member of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Amerind is usually academic / anthropological / technical / dated in register.

Amerind: in British English it is pronounced /ˈæm.ər.ɪnd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈæm.ə.rɪnd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.