ethnicity

noun

eth-ˈni-sə-tē How to pronounce ethnicity (audio)
Definition of ethnicitynext
as in nationality
a people having a common language, culture, and body of traditions a university with a student body of diverse ethnicities

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ethnicity The doctor then draws a hairline that matches your age, ethnicity, and facial symmetry. — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 The church’s origins date to the arrival of Christian missionaries in Mombasa in 1844, and its membership has long represented a diverse cross section of Kenyan society, with members of various ethnicities and social strata. — Stephanie Triplettall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa, the big three of the three hundred–plus ethnicities that made up the national character, exerted their outsized influence in the shattering wave of military coups that preceded and followed the brutal civil war. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 All characters can be played by actors of any gender, ethnicity, age or type. — Jamie Chapman, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ethnicity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ethnicity
  1. nationality
  2. nation
Noun
  • Vargas found that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his authority by categorically stopping consular officers from issuing visas based on applicants’ nationalities.
    — María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The nationalities of 111 other missing people had yet to be ascertained, authorities said.
    — Arshad R. Zargar, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of nationality
Noun
  • Tiani had pledged to improve security in the Sahel nation, a major uranium producer, but jihadist attacks have persisted.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Rescue teams in Nepal have located 187 tourists after deadly landslides ripped through the Himalayan nation on Wednesday, local officials said Saturday, with around 3,000 people still missing on both sides of the Nepal-China border.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of nation

Browse Nearby Words

ethnicities
ethnicity
ethos
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Cite this Entry

“Ethnicity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ethnicity. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ethnicity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ethnicity

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