adj
ethnic
EHTH-nihk
adj
1
Relating to a group of people sharing a common ancestry, culture, language, or nationality.
"The city has a rich mix of ethnic communities."
"Ethnic tensions rose ahead of the election."
2
Reflecting a particular, often minority, culture's traditional style, especially in food, dress, or music.
"The market sells a wide range of ethnic foods."
How to Use Ethnic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to a shared cultural, national, or ancestral identity.
Common pairings
ethnic group
ethnic minority
ethnic cuisine
ethnic diversity
Word Forms
more ethnic comparative, ethnics plural, most ethnic superlative
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The city has a rich mix of _____ communities.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ethnikós (\"of a nation, heathen\"), from éthnos (\"a people or nation\").