ethnicity

[eth-nis-i-tee]

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.

ethnicity

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

Usage

race ²

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.)

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethnicity¹

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

Example Sentences

The legislation would not have required applicants to belong to any particular race or ethnicity — a crucial detail that proponents said distinguished it from affirmative action, which is banned at California colleges.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The high court ruling set aside a Los Angeles judge’s temporary restraining order that barred agents from stopping people based in part on their race or apparent ethnicity.

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"That's why I would say to women to get prepared because our bodies are different, and because of our ethnicity, our risks are also different," she said.

Read more on BBC

The best way to build a stronger, more unified military would, of course, be to make people feel welcome regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or gender identification.

Read more on Salon

At that point, I was like, I have to give them everything and explain to them my background, ethnicity, everything, just to be fully vulnerable.

Read more on Los Angeles Times