European

1 of 2

adjective

Eu·​ro·​pe·​an ˌyu̇r-ə-ˈpē-ən How to pronounce European (audio)
-ˈpēn
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Europe or its people
Europeanness noun

European

2 of 2

noun

1
: a native or inhabitant of Europe
2
: a person of European descent

Examples of European 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.
Adjective
There are certainly alternatives to chlorine and chloramines, which come with their own benefits and detriments: many European countries disinfect their water with ozone, and McCurry says that another option is the use of UV light. Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024 Perhaps surprising to some people, Parker in fact has a European background. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
The new observations using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer in Chile reveal a star puffing out gas and dust, apparently in its final stages of life before going supernova. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 On Thursday, the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO), a research body, published its annual report on the theatrical performance of European movies worldwide. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for European 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1555, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of European was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near European

Cite this Entry

“European.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/European. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

European

1 of 2 adjective
Eu·​ro·​pe·​an ˌyu̇r-ə-ˈpē-ən How to pronounce European (audio)
: of or relating to Europe or its people

European

2 of 2 noun
1
: a person born or living in Europe
2
: a person of European ancestry
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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