ethnic
ethnic Lexical Profile
ethnic Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to a population subgroup with a common national or cultural tradition, heritage, language, or ancestry.
"The city is renowned for its diverse ethnic neighborhoods and annual cultural festivals."
Characteristic of or belonging to a traditional, non-Western, or minority culture, especially with respect to cuisine, music, or clothing.
"The market features several aisles dedicated to ethnic foods and imported spices."
Neither Christian nor Jewish; pagan or heathen (archaic).
"Early theological treatises often contrasted biblical traditions with ethnic philosophies."
• noun
A member of an ethnic group, especially a minority group within a larger dominant society (chiefly informal and often considered offensive).
"The campaign strategists analyzed voting patterns among white ethnics in industrial states."
Word Nuance & Usage
While the adjective 'ethnic' is standard in sociology and everyday speech, using 'ethnic' as a noun to refer to a member of a minority group is informal and often perceived as reductive or offensive.
• Rhymes for ethnic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English ethnik, borrowed from Late Latin ethnicus, from Ancient Greek ethnikos ('of or for a nation'), derived from ethnos ('nation, people, or tribe'). Originally used in Christian texts to mean 'heathen' or 'pagan' (nations outside the Jewish or Christian faith), the modern sociological sense relating to cultural heritage emerged in the mid-19th century.