Ethnic describes the shared culture, traditions, language, or ancestry that connects a group of people. When we talk about someone's ethnic background, we mean the cultural heritage they come from: the foods their family cooks, the holidays they celebrate, the language their grandparents spoke, or the country their ancestors lived in.

America is home to people from hundreds of ethnic groups. Someone might have Irish ethnic roots and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with their family, while their friend has Mexican ethnic heritage and makes tamales at Christmas. Another classmate might come from a Vietnamese ethnic background and celebrate Tết, the Vietnamese New Year.

The word appears in phrases like ethnic food (cuisines from different cultures around the world) or ethnic neighborhood (an area where many people from the same cultural background live together). Your city might have an Italian neighborhood known for its bakeries and restaurants, or a Chinatown where Chinese traditions thrive.

Everyone has ethnic roots, even if their family has lived in one place for generations. These connections to culture, tradition, and ancestry help make each person unique while also connecting them to a larger community of people who share similar backgrounds and experiences.