The term AMERICAN RELATIVE can be summarized by two crossword solutions: CHEDDAR (7 letters) and UNCLESAM (8 letters). CHEDDAR is a type of cheese that originated in the English village of CHEDDAR in Somerset, England. It is now widely produced in the United States and is one of the most popular cheeses in the world. UNCLESAM is a nickname for Uncle Sam, a personification of the United States government. He is typically depicted as a serious elderly man with white hair and a goatee beard, wearing a white top hat, a red bow tie, and a blue tailcoat.