Norteamérica
Lemma Details
Translation: North America
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: Derived from 'norte' (north) + 'América' (America). The term combines the Spanish word for the cardinal direction 'north' with the continent name 'América', which itself comes from the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci. The accent on the 'é' follows Spanish orthographic rules for stress placement.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 90%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Norteamérica comprende Canadá, Estados Unidos y México.
North America comprises Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
El clima de Norteamérica varía mucho de norte a sur.
The climate of North America varies greatly from north to south.
Muchas especies de aves migran entre Sudamérica y Norteamérica.
Many bird species migrate between South America and North America.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'Norte' (North) + 'América' = North America
- The accent on the 'é' makes you emphasize that syllable, like pointing north on a map
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'Norteamérica' technically refers to the continent comprising Canada, the United States, and Mexico. However, in some contexts, especially in Latin America, people might use 'norteamericano' specifically to refer to people from the United States, rather than Canadians or Mexicans, despite the geographical inaccuracy.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Norteamérica' specifically refers to North America (the northern part of the Americas), while 'América' can refer to the entire continent (North, Central, and South America combined) in Spanish usage, unlike in English where 'America' often refers to just the United States.
Confused word:
América es un continente que se extiende desde Canadá hasta Argentina.
America is a continent that extends from Canada to Argentina.
Notes: In Spanish-speaking countries, the Americas are often considered one continent divided into regions (North, Central, South), rather than two separate continents as taught in English-speaking countries.
Mnemonic: 'Norte' means 'north', so 'Norteamérica' is specifically the northern part of the Americas.
Explanation: 'Norteamérica' is the geographical region/continent, while 'Estados Unidos' (United States) is a specific country within North America.
Confused word:
Voy a viajar a Estados Unidos el próximo mes.
I'm going to travel to the United States next month.
Notes: Many Spanish speakers, especially in Latin America, colloquially use 'norteamericano' to refer specifically to people from the United States, despite the geographical inaccuracy.
Mnemonic: Think of 'Norteamérica' as the whole pizza, while 'Estados Unidos' is just one slice of it.