ethnicity

noun

eth·​nic·​i·​ty eth-ˈni-sə-tē 

plural ethnicities

1

: ethnic quality or affiliation

aspects of ethnicity

2

: a particular ethnic affiliation or group

students of diverse ethnicities

Synonyms of ethnicity

• nationality
• nation

Examples of ethnicity in a Sentence

a university with a student body of diverse ethnicities

Recent Examples on the Web

But for decades, because of his ethnicity, Tenzing’s role in the mission was understated by history; he was treated as Hillary’s noble assistant. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

This includes a person's race, ethnicity, disease carrier status, health conditions, and biological relatives. — CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Race and ethnicity data were not collected, which limits the generalizability of the findings. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Born in Battambang, Ali, 52, is of mixed Malay, Khmer, Thai and Cham ethnicity, and was raised Muslim in a country that’s 96% Buddhist. — Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ethnicity

• basicity
• chronicity
• complicity
• cyclicity
• duplicity
• facticity
• felicity
• helicity
• plasticity
• publicity
• rusticity
• simplicity