Latino

American  

[luh-tee-noh, la-] / ləˈti noʊ, læ- /

Or latino

adjective

1. of or relating to people of Latin American origin or descent, especially those living in the United States: Latino audiences;

   Latino business owners;

   Latino audiences;

   the Latino community;

   Latino immigrants.

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noun

plural

Latinos

1. a person of Latin American origin or descent, especially one living in the United States.

   a growing population of Latinos in the Midwest.

Latino British  

/ læˈtiːnəʊ /

noun

1. an inhabitant of the US who is of Latin American origin

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Other Word Forms

• Latina
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Latino

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50; from Spanish (United States), perhaps by ellipsis from Spanish latinoamericano “Latin American,” equivalent to latino “Latin” (referring to the places or people with Latinate or Romance language in common) + americano “American”

Example Sentences

The piece notes that the election could yield historic outcomes, including the possibility of California’s first female governor or its first Latino governor in more than 150 years, representing significant demographic milestones.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026

Come November, voters could elect the first female governor in state history, or possibly the first Latino governor in more than 150 years.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026

Council Member Elizabeth Villafranca, who was first elected last year, eventually became one of many Latino candidates to win a seat.

From Salon • May 7, 2026

Republicans in turn have capitalized on González-Colón’s rise as she helped bolster GOP support among the Puerto Rican diaspora and other Latino voters on the mainland.

From Salon • May 6, 2026

Luckily, Ms. G. and the Freedom Writers don’t see being poor and Latino as an obstacle to becoming a filmmaker.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers