South America

noun

1. a continent in the S part of the Western Hemisphere. About 6,900,000 sq. mi. (17,871,000 sq. km).

South America

noun

1. the fourth largest of the continents, bordering on the Caribbean in the north, the Pacific in the west, and the Atlantic in the east and joined to Central America by the Isthmus of Panama. It is dominated by the Andes Mountains, which extend over 7250 km (4500 miles) and include many volcanoes; ranges from dense tropical jungle, desert, and temperate plains to the cold wet windswept region of Tierra del Fuego. Pop (Latin America and the Caribbean): 558 281 000 (2005 est). Area: 17 816 600 sq km (6 879 000 sq miles)

South America

1. Continent in the Western Hemisphere, connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama.

All of the Latin American nations in South America and Central America achieved their independence from Spain or Portugal in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Exploration of the continent began in the sixteenth century with the Portuguese claiming what is now Brazil and the Spanish claiming most of the remaining land. Settlement was accompanied by the defeat of many of the Native American cultures, including the Inca Empire.

Other Word Forms

• South American adjective

Example Sentences

The Florida-based company, which has been operating as Spirit Airlines since 1992, has served cities throughout North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.

From Los Angeles Times

This version alleges that South America “has been clamoring to unify” under corporate rule.

From Salon

The sanctions effectively collapsed an already shaky economy in what was once South America’s wealthiest nation.

From Los Angeles Times

She has summited North America's highest mountain, Denali, and South America's Aconcagua, as well as 25 Alpine peaks higher than 4,000m.

From BBC

However, it has remained common in tropical and subtropical areas of Central and South America and has recently been spreading north with the first new case reported in Mexico in November 2024.

From BBC