Word Study
ethnic
CIDE DICTIONARY
ethnic, a. [L. ethnicus, Gr. , fr. nation, the nations, heathens, gentiles: cf. F. ethnique.].
- Belonging to races or nations; based on distinctions of race; ethnological. [1913 Webster]
- Pertaining to the gentiles, or nations not converted to Christianity; heathen; pagan; -- opposed to
Jewish andChristian . [1913 Webster] - of or pertaining to a group having a distinct racial, cultural, religious or linguistic character; as, ethnic differences within a population can cause civil war. [PJC]
- being a member of a distinct racial or cultural minority within a larger population; as, ethnic Chinese own most of the businesses in Indonesia. [PJC]
ethnic, n.
- A heathen; a pagan. [1913 Webster]"No better reported than impure ethnic and lay dogs." [1913 Webster]
- a member of an ethnic group. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
ethnic, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 a (of a social group) having a common national or cultural tradition. b (of clothes etc.) resembling those of a non-European exotic people.
2 denoting origin by birth or descent rather than nationality (ethnic Turks).
3 relating to race or culture (ethnic group; ethnic origins).
4 archaic pagan, heathen.
--n.
1 US a member of an (esp. minority) ethnic group.
2 (in pl., usu. treated as sing.) = ETHNOLOGY.
--adj.
1 a (of a social group) having a common national or cultural tradition. b (of clothes etc.) resembling those of a non-European exotic people.
2 denoting origin by birth or descent rather than nationality (ethnic Turks).
3 relating to race or culture (ethnic group; ethnic origins).
4 archaic pagan, heathen.
--n.
1 US a member of an (esp. minority) ethnic group.
2 (in pl., usu. treated as sing.) = ETHNOLOGY.
Idiom
ethnic minority a (usu. identifiable) group differentiated from the main population of a community by racial origin or cultural background.
Derivative
ethnically adv. ethnicity n.
Etymology
ME f. eccl.L ethnicus f. Gk ethnikos heathen f. ethnos nation
ROGET THESAURUS
ethnic
Heterodoxy
N heterodoxy, error, false doctrine, heresy, schism, schismaticism, schismaticalness, recusancy, backsliding, apostasy, atheism, bigotry, fanaticism, iconoclasm, hyperorthodoxy, precisianism, bibliolatry, sabbatarianism, puritanism, anthropomorphism, idolatry, superstition, dissent, sectarism, sectarianism, noncomformity, secularism, syncretism, protestantism, Arianism, Adventism, Jansenism, Stundism, Erastianism, Calvinism, quakerism, methodism, anabaptism, Puseyism, tractarianism, ritualism, Origenism, Sabellianism, Socinianism, Deism, Theism, materialism, positivism, latitudinarianism High Church, Low Church, Broad Church, Free Church, ultramontanism, papism, papistry, monkery, papacy, Anglicanism, Catholicism, Romanism, popery, Scarlet Lady, Church of Rome, Greek Church, paganism, heathenism, ethicism, mythology, polytheism, ditheism, tritheism, dualism, heathendom, Judaism, Gentilism, Islamism, Islam, Mohammedanism, Babism, Sufiism, Neoplatonism, Turcism, Brahminism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sabianism, Gnosticism, Hylotheism, Mormonism, Christian Science, heretic, apostate, antichrist, pagan, heathen, painim, paynim, giaour, gentile, pantheist, polytheist, idolator, schismatic, sectary, sectarian, sectarist, seceder, separatist, recusant, dissenter, nonconformist, nonjuror, bigot, fanatic, abdal, iconoclast, latitudinarian, Deist, Theist, Unitarian, positivist, materialist, Homoiousian, Homoousian, limitarian, theosophist, ubiquitarian, skeptic, Protestant, Huguenot, orthodox dissenter, Congregationalist, Independent, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Calvinist, Methodist, Wesleyan, Ana, Baptist, Mormon, Latter-day Saint, Irvingite, Sandemanian, Glassite, Erastian, Sublapsarian, Supralapsarian, Gentoo, Antinomian, Swedenborgian, Adventist, Bible Christian, Bryanite, Brownian, Christian Scientist, Dunker, Ebionite, Eusebian, Faith Curer, Curist, Familist, Jovinianist, Libadist, Quaker, Restitutionist, Shaker, Stundist, Tunker, ultramontane, Anglican, Oxford School, tractarian, Puseyite, ritualist, Puritan, Catholic, Roman, Catholic, Romanist, papist, Jew, Hebrew, Rabbinist, Rabbist, Sadducee, Babist, Motazilite, Mohammedan, Mussulman, Moslem, Shiah, Sunni, Wahabi, Osmanli, Brahmin, Brahman, Parsee, Sufi, Buddhist, Magi, Gymnosophist, fire worshiper, Sabian, Gnostic, Rosicrucian, heterodox, heretical, unorthodox, unscriptural, uncanonical, antiscriptural, apocryphal, unchristian, antichristian, schismatic, recusant, iconoclastic, sectarian, dissenting, dissident, secular, (lay), pagan, heathen, heathenish, ethnic, ethnical, gentile, paynim, pantheistic, polytheistic, Judaical, Mohammedan, Brahminical, Buddhist, Romish, Protestant, bigoted superstitious, fanatical, idolatrous, visionary, slave to no sect, superstitione tollenda religio non tollitur.For further exploring for "ethnic" in Webster Dictionary Online