Filipinx

American  

[fil-uh-pee-neks, ‐-pingks] / ˌfɪl əˈpi nɛks, ‐ˈpɪŋks /

Or filipinx

adjective

1. of or relating to people of Philippine origin or descent, especially those living in the United States (used to indicate gender-neutrality in place of Filipino orFilipina ).

   a Filipinx singer-songwriter.

---

noun

plural

Filipinxs,

plural

Filipinx

1. a person of Philippine origin or descent, especially one living in the United States (used to indicate gender-neutrality in place of Filipino orFilipina ).

Grammar

The word Filipino, upon which Filipinx is based, ultimately comes from Spanish. In Spanish, the -o ending marks the word as masculine. Some speakers exchange the masculine-marked -o endings for gender-neutral -x, especially when using Spanish words in English. However, the Indigenous language Tagalog, upon which the Pilipino language is based, doesn’t have grammatical gender. Pilipino therefore borrowed the word Filipino from Spanish as a gender-neutral term that can refer to any person from the Philippines. For this reason, there is debate on whether changing the ending is necessary. Many in the Philippines use Filipino in all contexts, while some in the United States use Filipinx as a gender-neutral or gender-inclusive alternative, especially in self-reference.

Etymology

Origin of Filipinx

First recorded 2010–15; Filipina ( def. ) or Filipino ( def. ) + x ³ ( def. ) (in the sense “unknown quantity or variable”)

Example Sentences

As someone with a sister within the Filipinx nursing community, I know these nurses had an integral role in aiding the rising cases during the peak of the pandemic.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 15, 2023

And the use of an “x” has spread to other communities, including Filipinos, some of whom are now using the gender-inclusive Filipinx.

From Washington Post • Apr. 2, 2023

Every few weeks, a new curator programs a selection of short films on a particular topic, such as Stories from LGBTQ+ Youth or the Filipinx experience.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2023

The new high school course uses Filipinx in its name, a term indicating gender neutrality in place of Filipino or Filipina, although some say “Filipino” is already a gender-neutral term.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 31, 2022

This month, we're exploring seven staples stocking Jenn's kitchen, which includes Japanese, West Indian, American Southern, and Filipinx ingredients.

From Salon • May 18, 2022