Americanization

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of assimilating various aspects of American culture within another community or society occurs alongside a shift toward American beliefs and practices, indicating a broader cultural transformation
2. The process in which foreign cultures adopt American ideals and norms occurs while simultaneously restructuring local customs and practices
3. The process of adopting American cultural traits in other countries ; a shift in behaviors and values reflecting American influence

Etymology: The word is built from "Americanise" plus the suffix "-ation", which turns a verb into a noun for the act or process. "Americanise" itself combines "America", the name of the continents, with the verb ending "-ise", which comes from Greek "-izein" through Latin and French. So the word names the process of making something American, whether that means changing a language, a diet, a city or a person's habits. The name "America" has a surprising origin. It comes from Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian navigator whose first name was latinised as "Americus" and attached to the New World in a 1507 map by the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller. The English form "America" dates to the early 1500s, and "American" followed it as the adjective. Those roots matter because the suffix "-ise" was added to them in English in the 19th century, and "-ation" was then placed on top.

Synonyms: americanisation