norteamericano

North American

adjective nohr-teh-ah-meh-ree-KAH-noh Less Common

Usage Note

Norteamericano in Spanish most often refers specifically to citizens or things of the United States rather than Canada or Mexico, despite the geographic breadth of 'North America'. Many Latin Americans resist using americano alone for US citizens, preferring estadounidense as more precise; norteamericano is a common compromise. It also functions as a noun: los norteamericanos.

Examples

"El director es norteamericano."

Natural Translation

The director is North American.

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