Latinx

adjective

La·​tinx
 primarily a written form  ;
often read as
lə-ˈtē-ˌneks How to pronounce Latinx (audio)
see usage note below
: of, relating to, or marked by Latin American heritage : latine
used as a gender-neutral alternative to Latina or Latino
… the oldest of three girls in a tightknit Latinx family …Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown
During her victory speech last night, the activist … thanked the district's primarily Latinx community for their trust in her vision for America.Kat Armstrong
… the first openly LGBTQ Latinx person elected governor in the US …Terrance Heath
Latinx noun
plural Latinx or Latinxs
The 2010 Census had separate categories for racial identity and "Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin." The text notes, "Latinx is not a race. However, a majority of Latinxs consider it part of their racial identity." Mark Jenkins
Usage of Latine and Latinx

Latine and Latinx are both used as gender-neutral alternatives to feminine Latina and masculine Latino. Each is formed by replacing the grammatically gendered -a and -o Spanish endings with a gender-neutral ending. Latinx, which was coined first, uses the English x (as in the gender-neutral courtesy title Mx.) to denote an unspecified or variable gender. Latine applies the Spanish -e, denoting an unspecified gender, as in estudiante ("student") and prudente ("sensible"). Objections to Latinx are common among people of Latin American heritage and most frequently relate to the fact that the term does not follow regular Spanish word formation and is therefore not easily adopted by many of the people it describes.

Examples of Latinx in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Consider these statistics: More than 20% of Kentucky children live in poverty, and that rate jumps above 30% for children of color (36% for Black children and 31% for Latinx children). Mary Irby-Jones, The Courier-Journal, 17 July 2025 Counter or contextualizing histories that challenge white supremacy, like Paul Ortiz’s An African American History and Latinx History of the United States, are also on the chopping block. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 July 2025 In 2020, Latinx students were the largest group of Californians admitted to UC schools for the fall academic term, a critical turning point in the history of the system and a step closer to reflecting the changing demographics in an increasingly diverse and global society. Taryn Palumbo, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 Women are more prone to the condition than men, and Black and Latinx people tend to have more persistent and severe symptoms than individuals of other races and ethnicities. Lynya Floyd, Allure, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for Latinx

Word History

Etymology

latin(o) and latin(a) + x entry 1, replacing the gender-specific Spanish markers -o and -a

First Known Use

2007, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Latinx was in 2007

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Latinx.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Latinx. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Latinx

adjective
La·​tinx
 primarily a written form  ;
 often read as  lə-ˈtē-ˌneks
: of, relating to, or marked by Latin American heritage
used as a gender-neutral alternative to Latina or Latino
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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