'amerindian' originates from a combination of 'American' and 'Indian', where 'American' refers to the continent and 'Indian' was a term historically used to describe the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

'American Indian' was shortened to 'Amerindian' to create a more concise term for the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Initially, it referred to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.