ethnicity

ethnicity [eth-nis-i-tee] ExamplesWord Origin See more synonyms for ethnicity on Thesaurus.com 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.

Origin of ethnicity 1765–75, for earlier sense; ethnic + -ity Related Words for ethnicity nationality, race, identity, origin, background Examples from the Web for ethnicity Contemporary Examples of ethnicity

Muslim refers to religion while Arab is an ethnicity and in fact more than 60 percent of Arab Americans are Christians.

These Candidates Are Courting the Muslim Vote

Dean Obeidallah

October 15, 2014

The Southerners had history, ethnicity, culture, slavery, religion, and a quasi-aristocratic honor society to hold them together.

America’s Slumbering Secession Obsession

James Poulos

September 23, 2014

Everyone is a target at any moment despite his ethnicity or belief.

My Non-First World Problems: Letters from Iraq

Andrew Slater

August 10, 2014

Working as a busboy in Miami during the 1980s, Rameau often faced racism due to his ethnicity.

Moonwalking With the Many Michael Jacksons

Justin Jones

August 2, 2014

When will the FBI finally stop using religion and ethnicity as a reason to investigate Americans?

Holder’s New Rules Aren’t Enough—It’s Time for an End to Profiling

Dean Obeidallah

April 11, 2014

Word Origin and History for ethnicity n.

“ethnic character,” 1953, from ethnic + -ity. Earlier it meant “paganism” (1772).

ethnicity in Culture ethnicity [(eth-nis-uh-tee)]

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

Note 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.)