ethnic

[eth-nik] /ˈɛθ nɪk/
adjective
1.
pertaining to or characteristic of a people, especially a group (ethnic group) sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like.
2.
referring to the origin, classification, characteristics, etc., of such groups.
3.
being a member of an ethnic group, especially of a group that is a minority within a larger society:
ethnic Chinese in San Francisco.
4.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of members of such a group.
5.
belonging to or deriving from the cultural, racial, religious, or linguistic traditions of a people or country:
ethnic dances.
6.
Obsolete. pagan; heathen.
noun
7.
a member of an ethnic group.
Origin
1325-75; Middle English ethnik heathen < Late Latin ethnicus < Greek ethnikós. See ethno-, -ic
Related forms
ethnically, adverb
interethnic, adjective
Synonyms
1. native, national, indigenous; cultural, racial.
Examples from the web for ethnic
  • As with their language, the basques are clearly a distinct ethnic group in their region.
  • As a tactic, ethnic cleansing has a number of significant impact.
  • Types of bias ethnic or racial bias, including racism, nationalism.
  • ethnic crossovers also occur when distinct elements meet in a single recipe.
  • The student body is diversified, comprising almost every ethnic group in new york city.
  • ethnic diversity was destined to become a chief characteristic of helper.
  • Besides, there is a separate community consisting of tribes, the ethnic groups.
  • Another german ethnic group, the carpathian germans, lived in slovakia.
  • He also has a keen interest in butoh dancing and collecting ethnic instruments.
  • The language of ethnic conflict social organization and lexical culture.
British Dictionary definitions for ethnic

ethnic

/ˈɛθnɪk/
adjective
1.
relating to or characteristic of a human group having racial, religious, linguistic, and certain other traits in common
2.
relating to the classification of mankind into groups, esp on the basis of racial characteristics
3.
denoting or deriving from the cultural traditions of a group of people: the ethnic dances of Slovakia
4.
characteristic of another culture: the ethnic look, ethnic food
noun
5.
(mainly US & Austral) a member of an ethnic group, esp a minority group
Derived Forms
ethnically, adverb
ethnicity (ɛθˈnɪsɪtɪ) noun
Usage note
Referring to a person as an ethnic is broadly acceptable in the US, Australia and Canada, but could well cause offence in the UK and elsewhere
Word Origin
C14 (in the senses: heathen, Gentile): from Late Latin ethnicus, from Greek ethnikos, from ethnos race
Word Origin and History for ethnic
n.

late 14c., Scottish, "heathen, pagan," and having that sense first in English; as an adj. from late 15c. from Latin ethnicus, Greek ethnikos, from ethnos "band of people living together, nation, people," properly "people of one's own kind," from PIE *swedh-no-, suffixed form of root *s(w)e- (see idiom).

In Septuagint, Greek ta ethne translates Hebrew goyim, plural of goy "nation," especially of non-Israelites, hence "Gentile nation" (see goy). Sense of "peculiar to a race or nation" is attested from 1851, a return to the word's original meaning; that of "different cultural groups" is 1935; and that of "racial, cultural or national minority group" is American English 1945; ethnic cleansing is attested from 1991.

Although the term 'ethnic cleansing' has come into English usage only recently, its verbal correlates in Czech, French, German, and Polish go back much further. [Jerry Z. Muller, "Us and Them: The Enduring Power of Ethnic Nationalism," Foreign Affairs, March/April 2008]