1
: of, relating to, or being a native of Spanish-speaking Latin America or a descendant of such a person
Hispanic people/cultures
the Hispanic Caribbean
… Hispanic communities in and outside of Latin America.—Angely Mercado
especially : of, relating to, or being Hispanic people living in the U.S.
the state's Hispanic voters
There is no monolithic Hispanic vote, in Texas or anywhere else. —Tina Aviles
Hispanic residents of Broward and Palm Beach counties have backgrounds that are Cuban, Puerto Rican, Mexican and from many countries in Central and South America. —Anthony Man
2
: of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain
Hispanic noun

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.
The district is nearly 75% Hispanic, though Democrats have long struggled to turn out working-class Latino voters there. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 At a restaurant near downtown Kissimmee on Thursday morning, a coalition of Hispanic leaders criticized her arrest. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 The banquet hall is known to host events like weddings, bridal showers, quinceñeras or traditional celebrations in Hispanic culture to mark a girl's 15th birthday. — Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 To an uninformed voter, the nickname might suggest that Ehr is of Hispanic descent. — Michael Vasquez, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 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 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

Hispanic

adjective
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
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