What does ethnicity mean?

Definitions for ethnicity
ɛθˈnɪs ɪ tieth·nic·i·ty

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word ethnicity.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. ethnicitynoun

    an ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties

    "ethnicity has a strong influence on community status relations"

Wiktionary

  1. ethnicitynoun

    The common characteristics of a group of people.

  2. ethnicitynoun

    An ethnic group.

Wikipedia

  1. Ethnicity

    An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, race, language, history, society, nation, religion, or social treatment within their residing area. The term ethnicity is often times used interchangeably with the term nation, particularly in cases of ethnic nationalism. Ethnicity may be construed as an inherited or as a societally imposed construct. Ethnic membership tends to be defined by a shared cultural heritage, ancestry, origin myth, history, homeland, language, dialect, religion, mythology, folklore, ritual, cuisine, dressing style, art, or physical appearance. Ethnic groups may share a narrow or broad spectrum of genetic ancestry, depending on group identification, with many groups having mixed genetic ancestry. Ethnic groups often continue to speak related languages. By way of language shift, acculturation, adoption and religious conversion, individuals or groups may over time shift from one ethnic group to another. Ethnic groups may be divided into subgroups or tribes, which over time may become separate ethnic groups themselves due to endogamy or physical isolation from the parent group. Conversely, formerly separate ethnicities can merge to form a pan-ethnicity and may eventually merge into one single ethnicity. Whether through division or amalgamation, the formation of a separate ethnic identity is referred to as ethnogenesis. Although both organic and performative criteria characterise ethnic groups, debate in the past had dichotomised between primordialism and constructivism. Earlier 20th-century "Primordialists" viewed ethnic groups as real phenomena whose distinct characteristics have endured since the distant past. Perspectives that developed after the 1960s increasingly viewed ethnic groups as social constructs, with identity assigned by societal rules.

ChatGPT

  1. ethnicity

    Ethnicity refers to the group a person belongs to as a result of shared cultural, national, tribal, racial, linguistic, or religious heritage or background. Ethnicity goes beyond physical characteristics like skin color or physical features; it also encompasses cultural aspects such as traditions, customs, and social experiences that are passed down through generations.

Wikidata

  1. Ethnicity

    Ethnicity, is Yanni's 13th studio album, released in 2003, extending his "One World, One People" philosophy. It peaked at #27 on Billboard's "Top Internet Albums" chart and at #27 on the "Billboard 200" chart in 2003. It also peaked at #1 on the "Top New Age Albums" chart in 2004. This release sparked what would become the 4th largest concert tour of 2003, ranked by Billboard Magazine. One element distinguishing Ethnicity from previous albums is the extensive use of human voices, not only solo arias and group chants, but also bona fide lyrics, a rare departure for the artist. "The Promise," for example, is an adaptation of an earlier composition, "Secret Vows," featuring lyrics from longtime friend Pamela McNeill and sung by powerhouse vocalist Alfreda Gerald, a member of Yanni's Tribute tour. The album's final track reflects his own cultural heritage with a traditional Greek island folk song, "Jivaeri".

Suggested Resources

  1. Ethnicity

    Race vs. Ethnicity -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Race and Ethnicity.

Matched Categories

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce ethnicity?

How to say ethnicity in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of ethnicity in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of ethnicity in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of ethnicity in a Sentence

  1. Matthew Olsen:

    Anything that creates the impression that the Department of Justice applies different standards based on race or ethnicity harms The Justice Department and our efforts, and it harms the public, i do believe that The China Initiative was driven by genuine national security concerns. But I'm also mindful that The Justice Department must maintain the trust of the people whom we serve.

  2. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott:

    The orchard owners and state agencies are working to make sure these workers have what they need -- food, shelter and other things to isolate safely, in light of recent national events, I hardly need to remind Vermonters of the nature of the virus. People do not get sick because they are from a certain place, ethnicity or nationality -- they get sick if they are exposed to the virus.

  3. Dan Stein:

    It implicates deep, profound moral questions, it implicates the question of the rule of law and citizenship and how we define ourselves as a nation, what enables us to cohere as a nation not bound by substantive historical traditions or ethnicity or even language anymore. In the end, respect for law remains a cornerstone of citizenship.

  4. Neil Tanna:

    The geographic location of the surgeon has therefore more influence on different beauty ideals than his or her ethnicity.

  5. Betty White:

    I think we're losing our sense of humor instead of being able to relax and laugh at ourselves. I don't care whether it's ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, or whose ox is being gored.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

ethnicity#10000#10001#100000

Translations for ethnicity

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for ethnicity »

Translation

Find a translation for the ethnicity definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"ethnicity." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 6 Mar. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/ethnicity>.

Discuss these ethnicity definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for ethnicity? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Image or illustration of

    ethnicity

    Credit »

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    offensive or even (of persons) malicious
    A alternate
    B cosmopolitan
    C nasty
    D whirring

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for ethnicity: