ethnic Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a person who is a member of an ethnic group
  2. adjective satellite denoting or deriving from or distinctive of the ways of living built up by a group of people
    cultural; ethnical.
    • influenced by ethnic and cultural ties"- J.F.Kennedy
    • ethnic food
  3. adjective satellite not acknowledging the God of Christianity and Judaism and Islam
    heathen; pagan; heathenish.

WordNet

Eth"nic, Eth"nic*al adjective (Also<
  • Ethnic
  • Ethnical
)
Etymology
L. ethnicus, Gr. , fr. nation, the nations, heathens, gentiles: cf. F. ethnique.
Definitions
  1. Belonging to races or nations; based on distinctions of race; ethnological.
  2. Pertaining to the gentiles, or nations not converted to Christianity; heathen; pagan; -- opposed to Jewish and Christian.
Eth"nic noun
Definitions
  1. A heathen; a pagan. Obs.
    No better reported than impure ethnic and lay dogs. Milton.

Webster 1913