Word
hispanic
Phoneticshis·pan·ic
/hɪˈspænɪk/
Definitions
01related to Spanish-speaking culture
adj. relating to Spain or to the people and cultures of countries where Spanish is spoken.
adj. relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, particularly those in Latin America.
“The city has a vibrant Hispanic community with many Spanish-language bookstores.”
“The festival celebrates Hispanic heritage by showcasing traditional music and dance from across Central and South America.”
Usage
Often capitalized in all contexts.
Teaching tip
In the US, this is a common census category, but many people prefer more specific terms like 'Latino' or their specific country of origin.
Synonyms
02a person of Spanish-speaking descent
n. a person who comes from, or whose family comes from, a Spanish-speaking country.
n. an individual of Spanish or Latin American descent residing in the United States.
“Many Hispanics in this neighborhood speak both Spanish and English fluently.”
“The study analyzed the voting patterns of Hispanics in the southwestern states during the last three election cycles.”
American English
Usage
Used primarily as a demographic or sociological label in the United States.
Teaching tip
Note that 'Hispanic' focuses on language (Spanish-speaking), whereas 'Latino' focuses on geography (Latin America).
03relating to Spain
adj. relating to the country of Spain itself.
adj. pertaining specifically to the nation, culture, or history of Spain.
“The museum features a large collection of Hispanic art from the 17th century.”
“Scholars debated the extent of Hispanic influence on the architectural styles found in the colonial Philippines.”
Academic · Formal
Usage
In modern daily speech, 'Spanish' is more common for the country; 'Hispanic' is often reserved for broader cultural or historical contexts.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Latin hispānicus, from Hispānia (“Iberia”) + -icus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/hispanic