Central American

adjective

: of or relating to Central America (the narrow southern portion of North America connecting with South America) or its people
Central American noun
plural Central Americans

Examples of Central American 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.
Vietnamese, Mexican, West African, and Central American communities brought their culinary traditions and adapted them to Texas ingredients. Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026 The small Central American nation are now managed by former Leeds United boss Thomas Christiansen, who has overseen steady progress over the past six years. Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Costa Rica is dissatisfied with the volume of its exports to China under its free trade deal with the Asian giant, according to a minister from the Central American nation. Josh Xiao, Bloomberg, 17 Apr. 2026 The artists share the 1970s complex with a typical grab bag of Little Havana enterprises catering to a mostly Central American immigrant community — notaries and tax preparers, a dentist, a hair salon, a barber shop, a convenience store, even a storefront Evangelical church. Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026 Following a burst of gang violence in 2022, Bukele announced a then-temporary state of emergency, which has become the new normal in the Central American nation as it's been extended for years. ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 Philly joins national movement Frustration and outcry over the United States’ low acceptance rates of Central American asylum-seekers sparked Philadelphia’s sanctuary movement. Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026 But this Central American country – a narrow isthmus stretching for 500 miles between Costa Rica (to the west) and Colombia (to the east) – offers far more to interest the curious traveller, said David Amsden in Condé Nast Traveller. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 29 Mar. 2026 Salvadoran nationals who were deported from the United States have been arbitrarily detained in El Salvador and have disappeared into the Central American nation's prison system, according to a Human Rights Watch report released on Monday. CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Central American was in 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Central American.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Central%20American. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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