ethnicity

American  

[eth-nis-i-tee] / ɛθˈnɪs ɪ ti /

noun

plural

ethnicities

1. an ethnic group; a social group that shares a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like.

   Representatives of several ethnicities were present.

2. ethnic traits, background, allegiance, or association.

   The graph shows class enrollment by gender and ethnicity.

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ethnicity Cultural  

1. Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language.

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Usage

race ²

Discover More

Many minority groups in the United States maintain strong ethnic identity; especially in cities, immigrants are often attracted to ethnic communities established by people from their own country, communities in which many traditional cultural features are maintained. (See melting pot.)

Etymology

Origin of ethnicity

First recorded in 1765–75, for earlier sense; ethnic + -ity

Explanation

A person's ethnicity is their ethnic traits, classification, or association. If your ethnicity is Italian, you might speak Italian in the home and eat Italian food. Or you might simply refer to yourself as Italian and identify with your ethnicity in no other way. Usually, ethnicity is a collective noun, but in the singular, an ethnicity is a particular ethnic group. The adjective ethnic relates to large groups of people who have certain racial, cultural, religious, or other traits in common. In Middle English, ethnic meant heathen or pagan. The word is from Late Latin ethnicus, from Greek ethnikos "foreign," from ethnos "nation."

Example Sentences

He made the pledge as the organisation launched a Race and Ethnicity Action Plan in Belfast.

From BBC • Aug. 7, 2025

“That’s more her brand — to get things done with whoever she needs to get them done with,” said Ange-Marie Hancock, who leads Ohio State University’s Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2025

Ethnicity and age did not appear to affect touch DNA deposits and the small sample of those with sloughing skin conditions, like eczema, did not show any significant association with primary DNA transfer.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2024

Housing costs are driving decisions to move out of California, according to Manuel Pastor, a professor of sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 19, 2023

Natalia Molina is a distinguished professor and Dean’s Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2023