South American

adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of South America (a continent of the western hemisphere lying between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans southeast of North America) or its people
South American noun
plural South Americans

Examples of South American in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The death was confirmed by CONMEBOL, the South American football federation, the Argentina National Football Team and in a statement from the family provided to Reuters. Mark Osborne, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026 And the next men's World Cup is set to take place largely in Spain, Portugal and Morocco — with some games taking place in Argentina and other South American nations. Rafael Nam, NPR, 6 Aug. 2026 Of the 23 World Cups since 1930, more than half have been won by European teams, the rest by South American nations. Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Aug. 2026 The South American connection will mark the centenary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930. ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for South American

Word History

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of South American was in 1683

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“South American.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/South%20American. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!