Americanism
a custom, trait, or thing peculiar to the United States of America or its citizens.
a word, phrase, or other language feature that is especially characteristic of the English language as spoken or written in the U.S.
devotion to or preference for the U.S. and its institutions.
anything, as a custom or word, peculiar to America.
Historical Examples
This is the portion eaten, and to use an Americanism, “It is not at all hard to take.”
Fruits of Queensland Albert Benson
Americanism as typified by Claude Leslie is a new revelation.
Oswald Langdon Carson Jay Lee
Fit, an Americanism denoting the preterite of the verb to fight.
The Slang Dictionary John Camden Hotten
The use of the verb to locate in the sense of to settle is said to be an Americanism.
The Verbalist Thomas Embly Osmun, (AKA Alfred Ayres)
The country is—to use an Americanism—in a pretty fix, if this McClellan turns out to be a mistake.
Diary from March 4, 1861, to November 12, 1862 Adam Gurowski
Whether an Americanism or not, it would seem to be quite unobjectionable.
The Verbalist Thomas Embly Osmun, (AKA Alfred Ayres)
A ounce of Americanism is worth a pound of red propaganda, as the poet says, or would of had he written to-day.
Believe You Me! Nina Wilcox Putnam
Americanism, whatever else it may be, must be a practical Americanism.
The Psychology of Nations G.E. Partridge
If you appreciate your Americanism, young man, show it by being a part of American institutions.
The Young Man and the World Albert J. Beveridge
The tyranny is greatest in regard to “American” and “Americanism.”
Folkways William Graham Sumner
noun
a custom, linguistic usage, or other feature peculiar to or characteristic of the United States, its people, or their culture
loyalty to the United States, its people, customs, etc
n.
1781, in reference to words or phrases distinct from British use, coined by John Witherspoon (1723-1794), president of Princeton College, from American + -ism. (American English “English language as spoken in the United States” is first recorded 1806, in Webster.) Americanism in the patriotic sense “attachment to the U.S.” is attested from 1797, first found in the writings of Thomas Jefferson.
Read Also:
- Americanisms
a custom, trait, or thing peculiar to the United States of America or its citizens. a word, phrase, or other language feature that is especially characteristic of the English language as spoken or written in the U.S. devotion to or preference for the U.S. and its institutions. anything, as a custom or word, peculiar to […]
- Americanist
a student of America, especially of its history, culture, and geography. a specialist in the cultures or languages of Indians. a specialist in literature. a person who favors the U.S., its policies, etc. Historical Examples I have described them in my Essays of an Americanist (Philadelphia, 1890). Nagualism Daniel G. Brinton Many of these articles […]
- Americanization
to make or become in character; assimilate to the customs and institutions of the U.S. Contemporary Examples The Veterans of Foreign Wars organized an americanization committee that promoted the song as a litmus test of loyalty. Star-Spangled Confederates: How Southern Sympathizers Decided Our National Anthem Jefferson Morley July 3, 2013 Historical Examples But when one […]
- Americanized
to make or become in character; assimilate to the customs and institutions of the U.S. Contemporary Examples This is an americanized version of the famed Running with the Bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain. Chicago’s Running of the Bulls Hampton Stevens July 25, 2014 Think of a latter-day americanized version of Downton Abbey—where everyone knows his […]
- Americanness
of or relating to the or its inhabitants: an American citizen. of or relating to North or ; of the Western Hemisphere: the American continents. of or relating to the aboriginal Indians of North and , usually excluding the Eskimos, regarded as being of Asian ancestry and marked generally by reddish to brownish skin, black […]