■ noun
1》 a native or national of India, or a person of ~ descent.
2》 an American ~.
■ adjective
1》 relating to India.
2》 relating to the indigenous peoples of America.
Derivatives
~ism noun
~ization or ~isation noun
~ize or ~ise verb
~ness noun
Usage
American native peoples were called ~ as a result of Christopher Columbus and others believing that, when they reached the east coast of America, they had reached part of India by a new route. The terms ~ and Red ~ are today regarded as old-fashioned, recalling, as they do, the stereotypical portraits of the Wild West. The term American ~ , however, is well established.