Skip to main content
Vespucci

Vespucci

2 8.1
An Italian sailor and explorer who showed South America was a separate continent
  • proper noun
  • /vɛˈspuːtʃi/
: Vespucci
  • The Americas were named after Vespucci, who played a crucial role in mapping the New World.
  • Amerigo Vespucci

Examples

  • Columbus died thinking he had landed off the coast of Asia; Florentine Amerigo Vespucci, in journeys between 1499 and 1502, recognized he had reached a continent between Europe and Asia.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • "Kammen wrote, "Amerigo Vespucci became a source of international debate" over the origin of the name America.

    Academic text (1992)
  • How ridiculous is it that "America" is named after Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer of Columbus' time?

    Blog text (25)
  • It was named after the person who first recognized it for what it was, Amerigo Vespucci.

    Blog text (9)
  • "When Amerigo Vespucci proved scientifically that Columbus had not reached India but had discovered a new continent, he was threatened with heresy, too."

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Amerigo Vespucci was an influential explorer known for his voyages along the coast of South America.

  • In history class, we learned about Amerigo Vespucci and his contributions to navigation.

Synonyms

Amerigo Vespucci
vsVespucci
1 8.2

An Italian sailor and explorer whose name is used for the continents of America

uses only the surname as a shorter familiar reference form

Surface Forms

Vespucci main

Etymology

Vespucci is the last name of Amerigo Vespucci, a famous Italian explorer who sailed along the coast of South America. Mapmakers used his first name Amerigo to make America, so the continents were named 'America' after him.