America (disambiguation)

Geographic and political meanings

• The Americas — the combined landmasses of North and South America, often referred to in the plural to cover both continents and their associated islands.
• North America and South America — the two conventional continental divisions within the Americas.
• United States of America — a sovereign nation commonly called "America" in informal speech and some languages; formal or precise writing typically prefers the full name or the abbreviation "the United States" to avoid ambiguity.

Etymology and usage notes

The name derives from the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci (late 15th–early 16th century). Cartographers applied a Latinized form of his given name, leading to "America" as a label for newly mapped lands in the Western Hemisphere. Usage varies by language and context: English speakers sometimes use "America" to mean the United States, while other languages and formal contexts distinguish the nation from the continents by using the full country name or additional qualifiers. When precision is required, writers use "the Americas," "North America," "South America," or "the United States of America."

Arts, entertainment and music

• America (band) — a British-American folk-rock group formed in the early 1970s, known for hits like "A Horse with No Name."
• America (albums) — self-titled records include the band America’s debut album; other artists have used the name for album titles.
• Notable songs — "America" appears as a song title in many contexts, for example the song "America" in West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, and patriotic tunes sometimes called "America," including the melody shared with "My Country, ’Tis of Thee."
• Film and gaming — films titled "America" include works from different countries and eras; there is also a strategy computer game bearing the name.
• Art works — contemporary pieces such as Maurizio Cattelan’s sculpture titled "America" use the word as a deliberate cultural reference.

Places, ships, companies and institutions

• Localities — small towns or villages named America exist in several countries, for example a village in the Netherlands and several place names in the United States.
• Ships and spacecraft — a number of vessels have been named America, including the 1851 yacht that inspired the name of the America’s Cup, transatlantic steamers, and naval vessels such as the aircraft carrier USS America (CV-66). The Apollo 17 command module was also named America.
• Business and media — companies and broadcasters sometimes include "América" or "America" in their brand: telecommunications firms, television stations and news groups in Latin America and elsewhere.
• Sports — prominent football clubs and tournaments use the name, for example Club América in Mexico and Copa América, the continental championship for national soccer teams in South America (and guest participants).
• Other uses — astronomical names such as the asteroid (916) America, mines and geographic features, arenas formerly named with "America" and other institutional titles appear in many catalogs of proper names.

Distinctions and how to choose the right term

Because "America" can refer to a continent, a pair of continents, or a nation, writers should choose terms that match their intended meaning. Use "the Americas" to speak of both continents collectively; "North America" or "South America" for a specific continent; and "the United States (of America)" when referring to the country. Respect regional conventions: in Spanish and Portuguese, "América" commonly means the continents and often appears in company and cultural names as part of a proper title. When resolving ambiguous references in catalogs, indexes or searches, include an additional qualifier (country, city, band, ship, etc.) to improve clarity.