The meaning of the word American in the English language varies according to the historical, geographical, and political context in which it is used. American is derived from America, a term originally denoting all of the Americas, ultimately derived from the name of the Florentine explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci (1451–1512). In some expressions, it retains this pan-American sense, but its usage has evolved over time and, for various historical reasons, the word came to denote people or things specifically from the United States of America. In contemporary English, American generally refers to the people of the United States of America and associated entities; among native English speakers, this usage is almost universal, with any other use of the term requiring specification. However, some have argued that "American" should be widened to also include people or things from anywhere in the Americas, which are also regarded by some as one continent.