Ethnicity Meaning
/ɛθˈnɪsɪti/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe common characteristics of a group of people, especially regarding ancestry, culture, language or national experiences.
nounAn ethnic group.
Sentence Examples
What is your ethnicity? Zamboangueño!
Hanfu is the traditional clothing of the Han ethnicity.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She proudly shared her ____ during the class cultural festival.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
When applying for the scholarship, I had to indicate my ____ and country of origin.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English ethnic Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity English ethnicity From ethnic + -ity.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Few concepts are as emotionally charged as that of race. The word conjures up a mixture of associations—culture, ethnicity, genetics, subjugation, exclusion and persecution. But is the tragic history of efforts to define groups of people by race really a matter of the misuse of science, the abuse of a valid biological concept? […] After all, more and more diseases are reportedly correlated with ethnicity and race."
— 2012 March-April, Jan Sapp, “Race Finished”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 05 Sep 2015, page 164:
"As a young Asian American, I was lucky growing up in an inclusive suburb, where although known to be predominantly Caucasian, all blends of cultures and ethnicities were embodied in the school populations. That said, the “K-wave” had not reached the depths of Naperville yet, and I remember K-pop lovers being perceived as outcasts all over the States."
— 2021 December 14, Hibaq Farah, quoting Zee S, “‘BTS taught me that I am worthy’: readers on why they love the K-pop superstars”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 24 Apr 2022:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She proudly shared her ____ during the class cultural festival.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
When applying for the scholarship, I had to indicate my ____ and country of origin.