ethnic

¹eth·nic

adj \ˈeth-nik\

Definition of ETHNIC

1

: heathen

2

a : of or relating to large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin or background <ethnic minorities> <ethnic enclaves> b : being a member of a specified ethnic group <an ethnic German> c : of, relating to, or characteristic of ethnics <ethnic neighborhoods> <ethnic foods>

Examples of ETHNIC

1. The U.S. has a wide variety of ethnic groups made up of immigrants or their descendants.
2. <children who were raised in a home where there was a strong ethnic consciousness>

Origin of ETHNIC

Middle English, from Late Latin ethnicus, from Greek ethnikos national, gentile, from ethnos nation, people; akin to Greek ēthos custom — more at sib

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to ETHNIC

Synonyms: racial, ethnical, tribal

Antonyms: nonracial

Related Words: familial; folk; kin, kindred; cultural, multiculti, multicultural, national

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Other Anthropology Terms

ectomorph, ethnography, prehistory, yurt