mestizo
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mes·ti·zo

noun \-(ˌ)zō\
plural mes·ti·zos

Definition of MESTIZO

: a person of mixed blood; specifically : a person of mixed European and American Indian ancestry

Origin of MESTIZO

Spanish, from mestizo, adjective, mixed, from Late Latin mixticius, from Latin mixtus, past participle of miscēre to mix — more at mix
First Known Use: 1582

mestizo

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any person of mixed blood. In Spanish America the term denotes a person of combined Indian and European extraction. In some countries, such as Ecuador, it has acquired social and cultural connotations: a pure-blooded Indian who has adopted European dress and customs is called a mestizo (or cholo). In Mexico the term's meaning has varied so greatly that it has been abandoned in census reports. In the Philippines it denotes a person of mixed foreign (e.g., Chinese) and native ancestry. See also ladino.

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