Meaning & use

ethnicity

noun·Academic

The state of belonging to a social group with a shared national, cultural, or linguistic heritage.

See it in a sentence

The census form asked respondents to identify their ethnicity from a list of options.

The neighborhood is home to people of many different ethnicities living side by side.

A note on using this word

Ethnicity is based on shared culture, language, or ancestry, while race is often defined by physical characteristics.

Words with a similar meaning

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Make it your own

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