spanish america: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, academic, historical, geopolitical
Quick answer
What does “spanish america” mean?
The regions of the Americas where Spanish is the dominant or official language, primarily including most of Central and South America (excluding Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana) and parts of the Caribbean.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The regions of the Americas where Spanish is the dominant or official language, primarily including most of Central and South America (excluding Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana) and parts of the Caribbean.
A cultural and historical term referring to the territories colonized by Spain in the New World, emphasizing shared linguistic, religious, and colonial heritage. It can also denote the collective cultural sphere or geopolitical bloc of Spanish-speaking American nations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical in both varieties, though it may appear slightly more frequently in American English due to geographical and political proximity.
Connotations
Neutral to formal. In academic contexts, it carries precise historical/linguistic meaning. In casual use, it may be conflated with 'Latin America'.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday conversation; higher in academic, historical, and geopolitical discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “spanish america” in a Sentence
[Spanish America] + [verb: comprises, includes, refers to, was colonized][Preposition: in, of, throughout] + [Spanish America][Adjective: colonial, independent, modern] + [Spanish America]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spanish america” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The Spanish-American historical ties are complex.
- She studies Spanish-American literature.
American English
- Spanish-American relations have evolved.
- It's a Spanish-American cultural festival.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in reports on markets or trade blocs, e.g., 'Our expansion strategy targets key economies in Spanish America.'
Academic
Common in history, linguistics, and cultural studies to denote regions with a shared Spanish colonial past, e.g., 'The Bourbon Reforms reshaped administration in Spanish America.'
Everyday
Rare in casual talk; might be used in travel or news contexts, e.g., 'We're planning a trip through Spanish America next year.'
Technical
Used in geopolitics and demography to specify Spanish-language dominance, e.g., 'The demographic data is aggregated for Spanish America.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “spanish america”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “spanish america”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spanish america”
- Using 'Spanish America' to refer to Spain itself.
- Using it interchangeably with 'Latin America' without noting the exclusion of Brazil.
- Misspelling as 'Spanish-American' (which is an adjective for things relating to both Spain and America, or a person of mixed heritage).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Latin America' includes all countries in the Americas where Romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French) are spoken, thus including Brazil, Haiti, and French Guiana. 'Spanish America' is a subset, including only Spanish-speaking countries.
No, not as a whole. The term refers to sovereign nations where Spanish is the dominant/official language. While there are large Spanish-speaking communities in the US, the US itself is classified as part of 'Anglo-America'.
Primarily, it is a linguistic and historical-cultural term. It is used in political science and geopolitics to discuss regions with shared language and colonial history, but it does not denote a single political entity.
They are largely synonymous. 'Hispanic America' is perhaps slightly more formal and emphasizes cultural ties to Hispanidad. 'Spanish America' is more directly linguistic.
The regions of the Americas where Spanish is the dominant or official language, primarily including most of Central and South America (excluding Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana) and parts of the Caribbean.
Spanish america is usually formal, academic, historical, geopolitical in register.
Spanish america: in British English it is pronounced /ˌspæn.ɪʃ əˈmer.ɪ.kə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌspæn.ɪʃ əˈmer.ɪ.kə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “From Mexico to Patagonia (informal for the span of Spanish America)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'Spanish' + 'America' = the parts of America where Spanish is spoken. It's like a language map overlay.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LINGUISTIC/CULTURAL SPHERE (container metaphor), A COLONIAL LEGACY (inheritance metaphor).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT typically considered part of Spanish America?