Hispanic
/hɪˈspanɪk
/adjective
1Relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Central and South America.We've seen things from Vanuatu, the Hispanic crosses in South America....
- Many immigrants moved either back to Spain or to another Hispanic country.
- There has been less class conflict in Honduras than in the other Hispanic Central American countries.
1.1Relating to Spanish-speaking people or their culture, especially in the US: the New York Hispanic community...
- After all, the ethnic composition of the areas served by the clubs is heavily Hispanic, and summer camp is not part of the Hispanic culture.
- The influx of Cubans into Florida beginning in 1960 turned the Miami-Dade County area into a centre of Hispanic language and culture.
- Recently, it launched a monthly section called Tempo that niftily reports on Hispanic culture in the city.
noun
A Spanish-speaking person, especially one of Latin American descent, living in the US.Riley says that few of those students are Hispanics or African Americans and he wants to see the numbers doubled....
- African Americans and Hispanics shared the belief that education would help reduce the stigma.
- In the United States, among Hispanics, Mexican Americans have the lowest rate of asthma.
Usage
In the US Hispanic is the standard accepted term when referring to Spanish-speaking people living in the US. Other, more specific terms such as Latino and Chicano are also used where occasion demands.
Derivatives
Hispanicize
- Later he Hispanicized his name, changing ‘James’ into ‘Santiago.’
- Chamorro culture is deeply Hispanicized with over-tones of American individualism.
- Today Galician sounds more like Portuguese than Spanish, even if its grammar and vocabulary have become increasingly Hispanicised.
Origin
From Latin Hispanicus, from Hispania 'Spain'.