In general, “Latino” is understood as shorthand for the Spanish word latinoamericano (or the Portuguese latino-americano) and refers to (almost) anyone born in or with ancestors from Latin America and living in the U.S., including Brazilians.
Hispanic refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries, while Latino refers to people from Latin American countries. A person can be Hispanic, Latino, both, or neither, depending on their background. When using one of these terms to refer to a specific person, always respect their preference.
Latino is an adjective and a noun that describes a person “of Latin American origin or descent,” especially one who lives in the United States. The form Latina refers to a Latin American woman.
Some have offered “Latino” as an alternative. This term refers to those from Latin America, meaning it includes Brazil but not Spain. The word existed long before the 1960s.
For centuries, Latino culture has influenced all areas of American life, including food, sports, business, politics, science, education, and the arts. Music and dance styles such as salsa and reggaeton have become popular nationwide thanks to artists like Celia Cruz and Bad Bunny.
The term Latino is different from Hispanic because while Hispanic refers to the people who are culturally or linguistically related to the Spanish language, Latino refers to the places where people come from.
The meaning of LATINO is a native or inhabitant of Latin America.
Learn the difference between "Hispanic," "Mexican," "Latino," and "Chicano" in this article.
How communities and governments describe people from the Spanish and Latin American diasporas has a convoluted history. Choosing the term Hispanic or Latino as a source of identity is more...