non-american
UK[ˌnɒn əˈmerɪkən]US[ˌnɑːn əˈmerɪkən]
adj
not of, from, or relating to the United States of America or its people
n
a person who is not an American, especially not a citizen of the United States
Morpheme Breakdown
non
american
non
not
american
of America
Etymology
The word is a modern English compound formed by directly attaching the Latin negative prefix "non-" to the established demonym "American." The prefix "non-" originates from the Old Latin "noenu," from "ne-" (not) + "oenus" (one), and has been a productive prefix in English since the 14th century to denote simple negation or absence. "American" derives from "America," the continent named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, whose Latinized name "Americus" was used on early maps. The construction "non-American" follows a straightforward and logical pattern in English for creating terms that specify exclusion from a national or cultural category, contrasting with the more oppositional "un-American."
Analysis
Structure: non (not) + american (of America)
- non: A prefix of Latin origin, meaning "not." It functions as a negative or privative prefix.
- american: An adjective (also used as a noun) derived from the name "America," itself from the Latinized name of explorer Amerigo Vespucci. The suffix "-an" forms adjectives meaning "of or belonging to."
Examples
The survey included both American and non-American participants.
The policy applies only to non-American citizens.
He was interested in non-American perspectives on the issue.