noun
Uncommon
Latino
luh-TEE-noh
Latino (noun) means a person, especially a man, of Latin American descent. Example: “The neighborhood has a large Latino population.”
noun
1
A person, especially a man, of Latin American descent.
"The neighborhood has a large Latino population."
adj
1
Of Latin American descent.
"She called Ottinger a "tool" of the business community and Lopez a "box checker,” apparently meaning that he was only nominally Latino and that he had acted in a way that was detrimental to the interests of Latinos."
— Richard Lee Colvin, Tilting at Windmills (2013)
"He grew up immersed in Latino culture in East Los Angeles."
How to use Latino
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA person (or adjective) referring to Latin American heritage.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- Latinos
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The neighborhood has a large _____ population.
Etymology
Shortened from Spanish latinoamericano ("Latin American"), first common in American English in the 1960s.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Latino
See all rhymes for Latino →Frequently asked questions
What does “Latino” mean?
The word “Latino” means a person, especially a man, of Latin American descent. In plain terms, a person (or adjective) referring to Latin American heritage.
How do you pronounce “Latino”?
“Latino” is pronounced luh-TEE-noh (/ləˈtinoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “Latino” in a sentence?
Here is “Latino” used in a sentence: “The neighborhood has a large Latino population.”
What part of speech is “Latino”?
Depending on how it is used, “Latino” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “Latino” come from?
The word “Latino” dates back to around 1960 and comes from Latin. Shortened from Spanish latinoamericano ("Latin American"), first common in American English in the 1960s.
Is “Latino” a common word?
“Latino” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Latino” have?
“Latino” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person, especially a man, of Latin American descent.
What is the difference between Latino and Hispanic?
Latino refers to people of Latin American descent, a geographic and cultural category, while Hispanic refers to people connected to Spanish-speaking countries or culture, a linguistic category. This means the two groups overlap heavily but are not identical, since, for example, Brazilians can be Latino without being Hispanic.
Is Latino capitalised?
Yes, Latino is capitalised because it refers to a person's national or cultural origin, following the same convention as other ethnic and nationality terms.
What is the difference between Latino and Latina?
Latino traditionally refers to a man of Latin American descent, while Latina refers to a woman of Latin American descent, reflecting the gendered noun forms found in Spanish. Latino is also sometimes used as a general or plural term for the group as a whole.
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