la raza

American  

[lah-rah-sah] / lɑˈrɑ sɑ /

noun

(sometimes initial capital letters)

1. (used with a plural verb) the people of Mexico or Mexican Americans, collectively.

2. (used with a singular verb) Mexican or Mexican American culture.

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Etymology

Origin of la raza

First recorded in 1920–25; literally, “the race,” shortening of La raza cósmica “The Cosmic Race,” a 1925 essay by José Vasconcelos Calderón (1882–1959), Mexican writer, philosopher, and politician, in which Vasconcelos Calderón claims that a future worldwide community will develop from the mixture of all the racial and ethnic groups of the world, which he believed had begun in Latin America; from Spanish la, the feminine singular definite article + raza race ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

“Where’s the banda? Those are the things we need so that la raza can enjoy themselves.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2024

“Soy pesimista en cuanto a la raza humana”, afirmó Galynker.

From New York Times • Mar. 17, 2023

Logan, débil y cansado, vive alejado de todos hasta que acepta una última misión de Charles Xavier: la de proteger a una joven especial, la última esperanza de la raza mutante.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2020

He’s willing to sacrifice the neighborhood and his dignity among la raza if it means helping his family.

From New York Times • Mar. 10, 2020

Eradicate machismo from latino culture and la raza will flourish as never before; mujeres and hombres alike will then move forward in equality.

From Time Magazine Archive