latino
latino Lexical Profile
latino Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
North American Relating to Latin America, its inhabitants, or people of Latin American descent (especially those living in the United States).
"The festival celebrated the rich traditions of Latino music, dance, and culinary arts."
• noun
North American A person of Latin American origin or descent, especially a male or a person of unspecified gender living in the United States.
"Latinos represent one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in the country."
Word Nuance & Usage
While often used interchangeably with 'Hispanic', 'Latino' (and its feminine counterpart 'Latina') specifically refers to geographical origins in Latin America (including Portuguese-speaking Brazil), whereas 'Hispanic' refers to Spanish-speaking countries (including Spain, but excluding Brazil).
• Rhymes for latino
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into American English in the mid-20th century from American Spanish 'latino', a shortening of 'latinoamericano' (Latin American), ultimately from Latin 'Latinus'.