Hispanic

[hi-span-ik]

adjective

1. Spanish.

2. of or relating to Spanish-speaking Latin America.

   the United States and its Hispanic neighbors.

3. Also Hispano of or relating to people of Spanish-speaking descent: the Hispanic vote;

   Hispanic students;

   the Hispanic vote;

   Hispanic communities.

noun

1. Also called Hispano-American. Also called Hispanic American. a citizen or resident of the United States who is of Spanish or Spanish-speaking Latin American descent.

2. a person whose primary or native language is Spanish.

Hispanic

/ hɪˈspænɪk /

adjective

1. relating to, characteristic of, or derived from Spain or Spanish-speaking countries

noun

1. a person of Latin-American or Spanish descent living in the US

Usage

his is the word most generally used in the US to refer to people of Latin American or Spanish ancestry

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).

Other Word Forms

• Hispanically adverb
• non-Hispanic adjective
• pre-Hispanic adjective
• trans-Hispanic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hispanic¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin hispānicus, “Spanish”; Hispania, -ic

Example Sentences

As for the demographics of crime, the survey finds that the likelihood that whites, blacks and Hispanics will be victims of violent crimes essentially matches their percentage of the population.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

A search warrant shows the initial target of the raid was four Hispanic workers, but the effect was a global spotlight on the plant’s reliance on Korean labor.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

And they have threatened penalties for public schools that offer programs to address historic inequities for Black or Hispanic students.

Read more on Salon

After it became known that the teen had said his abductors were “Hispanic,” an outpouring of outrage followed online.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Coca-Cola and Colgate-Palmolive have also noted a slump in North American sales from Hispanic consumers.

Read more on BBC