ethnic

[eth-nik]

adjective

1. pertaining to or characteristic of a people, especially a group ethnic group sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like.

2. referring to the origin, classification, characteristics, etc., of such groups.

3. being a member of an ethnic group, especially of a group that is a minority within a larger society.

   ethnic Chinese in San Francisco.

4. of, relating to, or characteristic of members of such a group.

5. belonging to or deriving from the cultural, religious, or linguistic traditions of a people or country.

   ethnic dances.

   Synonyms: indigenous, national, native

6. (of a human being) displaying characteristics, as in physical appearance, language, or accent, that can cause one to be identified by others as a member of a minority ethnic group.

   Her new boyfriend looks ethnic to me.

7. Obsolete.,  pagan; heathen.

noun

1. a member of an ethnic group.

ethnic

/ ˈɛθnɪk, ɛθˈnɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of a human group having racial, religious, linguistic, and certain other traits in common

2. relating to the classification of mankind into groups, esp on the basis of racial characteristics

3. denoting or deriving from the cultural traditions of a group of people

   the ethnic dances of Slovakia

4. characteristic of another culture

   the ethnic look

   ethnic food

noun

1. a member of an ethnic group, esp a minority group

Usage

Referring to a person as an ethnic is broadly acceptable in the US, Australia and Canada, but could well cause offence in the UK and elsewhere

Other Word Forms

• ethnically adverb
• interethnic adjective
• ethnicity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethnic¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English ethnik “heathen,” from Late Latin ethnicus, from Greek ethnikós; ethno-, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethnic¹

C14 (in the senses: heathen, Gentile): from Late Latin ethnicus, from Greek ethnikos, from ethnos race

Example Sentences

It added that preventing displaced populations from returning and demolishing homes amounted to ethnic cleansing.

Read more on Barron's

NAROK, Kenya—Leaders of the Maasai ethnic group are seeking a court order to demolish a new Ritz-Carlton luxury safari camp they say blocks a key route of the famous Serengeti migration.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Albania's prime minister accused Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood of "ethnic stereotyping" after she singled out Albanian families in a speech about abuses of the asylum system.

Read more on BBC

Farmers from less favored ethnic groups and regions were driven into poverty, causing them to leave their traditional communities and to move their families to large cities.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“I think of everything that’s happening right now in this time: corporate media is failing us, but ethnic media, queer media, women’s media is not,” Williams continued.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• indigenous 
• national 
• traditional 
• tribal