Hispanic

adjective

His·​pan·​ic hi-ˈspa-nik How to pronounce Hispanic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or being a person of Latin American descent and especially of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin living in the U.S.
2
: of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain
Hispanic noun
Hispanicism noun
Hispanicist noun
Hispanicize transitive verb

Examples of Hispanic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Diversity demos were 36% Caucasian, 31% Hispanic and Latino, 16% Asian American and 12% Black. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 June 2025 Data shows, for example, that Black, Hispanic, and Asian audiences spend significantly more time online. Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 White girls were most likely to be ready, and Hispanic boys least likely. Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, 31 May 2025 For example, Black adults are more likely to have high blood pressure than Asian, Hispanic, or white adults. Angela Ryan Lee, Health, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for Hispanic

Word History

Etymology

Latin hispanicus, from Hispania Iberian Peninsula, Spain

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of Hispanic was in 1584

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hispanic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hispanic. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

Hispanic

adjective
His·​pan·​ic his-ˈpan-ik How to pronounce Hispanic (audio)
1
: of or relating to the people, culture, or speech of Spain
2
: of, relating to, or being a person living in the U.S. from or whose ancestors were from Latin America
Hispanic noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!