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

Othering victims—by ethnicity, race, religion, nationality, or other characteristics—is typically used by those who kill them to deny their humanity and attempt to erase them from memory. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Aug. 2026

The choice of which state begins the presidential balloting turned into a needlessly divisive conflict over race and ethnicity. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Music should be competing based on artistic excellence, not separated by geography or ethnicity. — Jae-Ha Kim, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026

Profiles display users' basic information (name, age, height, and ethnicity), along with tabs to view their photos and read their Q&A. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 29 July 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