Etymology Map
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Ethnic

2 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means relating to a group with a shared culture

Where does the word "ethnic" come from? It comes from Greek ethnikos, adopted directly into English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
ethnikos
Greek · ancient
"national, heathen"
Greek, from 'ethnos', nation
2
Stage 2 of 2
ethnic
English · 1400s
"heathen"
the modern sense 'of a people' dates from the 1800s
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Ethnic’s story begins in Greek: ethnikos meant “national, heathen.” Greek, from 'ethnos', nation. It reached English by 1400s as ethnic. The modern sense 'of a people' dates from the 1800s. Today, ethnic means relating to a group with a shared culture.