Definition

Noun: 1. An American citizen or resident whose first language is Spanish or who has ancestry from a Spanish-speaking country. This term refers to a person of Hispanic heritage living in the United States. It emphasizes linguistic and cultural background rather than race.

Usage

• The term "Hispanic American" is used as a demographic and cultural identifier.
• It functions as a countable noun.
• It is often used in formal, academic, or official contexts when discussing population groups, culture, or social issues.

Examples

• As a subject:
  • The new community center was built to serve the local Hispanic American population.
• As an object:
  • The museum's exhibit celebrates the contributions of the Hispanic American.
• With a determiner:
  • She is a Hispanic American who grew up speaking both English and Spanish at home.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used attributively (like an adjective) before another noun to describe a related concept.
  • The study focused on Hispanic American voting patterns in the election.

Variants and Related Words

• Hispanic (noun/adjective): A broader term for a person from or with ancestry from a Spanish-speaking country, not necessarily American.
• Latino/Latina (noun/adjective): Terms often used to refer to people with origins in Latin America, which includes Portuguese-speaking Brazil but excludes Spain.
• Latin American (noun/adjective): A person from or related to Latin America.
• Chicano/Chicana (noun/adjective): A term often used by some Mexican Americans to express political and cultural identity.

Synonyms

• Latino American
• Spanish-speaking American

Notes on Meaning

• The term "Hispanic American" specifically links the person to the United States ("American"). Without "American," the word "Hispanic" has a wider, international scope.
• It is primarily an ethnic and cultural identifier, not a racial one. Hispanic Americans can be of any race.

Noun

1. an American whose first language is Spanish