amerikanós

Amerikanós, in Modern Greek Αμερικανός (masculine) and Αμερικανή (feminine), is the demonym and adjective used for a person from the United States or for things related to the United States. The masculine plural is Αμερικανοί and the feminine plural is Αμερικανές. The corresponding adjectives are αμερικανικός, αμερικανική, αμερικανικό; with declensions that yield αμερικανικοί, αμερικανικές, αμερικανικά for plural references.

Etymology and form: The term is formed from Αμερική (America) plus the standard Greek suffix -ανός, producing Αμερικανός. The root Αμερική derives from the name America, via Latin and other European languages, and was adopted into Modern Greek with the expansion of contact with Western languages in the 19th century. The stressed form in Greek is amerikanós, with the accent on the last syllable.

Usage and context: In contemporary Greek, Αμερικανός functions as a noun to denote nationality (a person from the United States) and as an adjective to describe American-related things (αμερικανική κουζίνα, αμερικανικά αυτοκίνητα). In formal contexts, alternative wording such as πολίτης των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών or Αμερικανός υπήκοος may be used. The term is generally neutral, though it appears in a wide range of registers from media to everyday speech.

See also: Greece–United States relations; Demonyms; Greek language; America.