Latino

noun

La·ti·no lə-ˈtē-(ˌ)nō

plural Latinos

1

: a native or inhabitant of Latin America

2

: a person of Latin American origin living in the U.S.

Latino adjective

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, probably short for latinoamericano Latin American

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of Latino was in 1946

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Latino.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Latino. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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Kids Definition

Latino

noun

La·ti·no la-ˈtē-ˌnō

plural Latinos

often capitalized

1

: a person born or living in Latin America

2

: a person of Latin-American origin living in the U.S.

Latino adjective

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Latino

noun

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Kids Definition