Hispanic
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to Spanish-speaking Latin America.
the United States and its Hispanic neighbors.
-
Also Hispano of or relating to people of Spanish-speaking descent: the Hispanic vote;
Hispanic students;
the Hispanic vote;
Hispanic communities.
noun
-
Hispanics
plural
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Also called Hispano-American, Hispanic American. a citizen or resident of the United States who is of Spanish or Spanish-speaking Latin American descent.
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a person whose primary or native language is Spanish.
adjective
noun
Usage
Some words that describe national or ethnic identities are acceptable as plural nouns, but are more controversial as singular nouns. This is the case for Hispanic. It’s often acceptable as a plural noun (a candidate favored by Hispanics ). However, it may sometimes be less so as a singular noun (the candidate who is a Hispanic ). Such words are always perfectly appropriate as adjectives (strategies to get Hispanic voters to the polls).
his is the word most generally used in the US to refer to people of Latin American or Spanish ancestry
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of Hispanic
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin hispānicus, “Spanish”; see Hispania, -ic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Higher levels of education, Hispanic ethnicity and Tricare-paid births were associated with fewer deaths.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
When I saw him at a Hispanic church in Kissimmee, he was preaching to the proverbial choir - but pitching his message with a nod to the fact that for many money is currently tight.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
But Darializa Avila Chevalier unseated another incumbent, the head of the congressional Hispanic caucus, Adriano Espaillat.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026
The 39th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards — which will honor the contributions and accomplishments of Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America — will air nationwide Friday on PBS.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
In 1960, the Hispanic population of the county had been about 6 percent.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
The groups that flocked to him less than two years ago—especially independents, Hispanics and young adults—are now among his strongest critics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
“Latinos and Hispanics in South Texas are the embodiment of the American dream.”
From Slate ● Sep. 28, 2026
Hispanics or Latinos were the target of the biggest increase in racially or ethnically motivated hate crimes, according to the report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
The same poll showed that 31% of Black people and 37% of Hispanics view legal sports betting as bad for society, compared to 46% of white people.
From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026
Hispanics made up 47 percent of the student population and blacks and other minorities the remaining 5 percent.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
