ethnicity

[ eth-nis-i-tee ]

noun

, plural eth·nic·i·ties.

1. an ethnic group; a social group that shares a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like:

   Representatives of several ethnicities were present.

2. ethnic traits, background, allegiance, or association:

   The graph shows class enrollment by gender and ethnicity.

ethnicity

1. Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language.

Usage Note

race ²

Notes

Many minority groups in the United States maintain strong ethnic identity; especially in cities, immigrants are often attracted to ethnic communities established by people from their own country, communities in which many traditional cultural features are maintained. ( See melting pot .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of ethnicity¹

First recorded in 1765–75, for earlier sense; ethnic + -ity

Example Sentences

Madison Miner, the Orange County chair of Moms for Liberty, a conservative organization that opposes curricula about LGBTQ+ rights, race and ethnicity, called McMahon a “wonderful choice.”

From Los Angeles Times

According to local coverage, the majority of participants donning their best Chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto looks were white men, "but some women and people of different ethnicities got in on the fun."

From Salon

It made it illegal to "write, send, or share any information through a computer, which is likely to ridicule, degrade, or demean another person, group of persons, a tribe, an ethnicity, a religion or gender".

From BBC

They ignored the history of immigration and ethnicity that pointed to the shifting notion of who gets to be white in America.

From Salon

Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said by focusing on Mr Kaba’s ethnicity, they had created "rumour and innuendo” which could “embolden those who work against the public".

From BBC