What does latina mean?
Latina is an English noun and adjective used especially in the United States to refer to a woman or girl from Latin America or with Latin American ancestry. As a noun, it is a widely recognized identity term comparable to Latino, its masculine counterpart, but explicitly feminine. As an adjective, Latina is the feminine form of Latino and may modify nouns such as woman, student, author, or business owner. The word is associated broadly with Latin America rather than only with Spanish-speaking countries, although in practice it is most often used in connection with Spanish-speaking communities. In public, educational, and professional contexts, Latina can denote nationality, ethnicity, heritage, or cultural affiliation, depending on the speaker and circumstances. It is also frequently used in labels describing communities, organizations, and businesses. The term entered English largely through contact with American Spanish and has become a standard way for women of Latin American origin to describe themselves.
A woman or girl from Latin America or of Latin American ancestry.
"The magazine profiles a Latina who founded a community arts program."
Widely used as a nationality, ethnic, or cultural designation, particularly in the United States.
Denoting a woman or girl of Latin American origin or ancestry; the feminine form of Latino.
"The film tells the story of a Latina family in Los Angeles."
As an adjective, it functions grammatically as the feminine form of Latino.
The standard plural of the noun, particularly when referring collectively to women of Latin American origin or ancestry.
"Latinas from several countries attended the community forum."
Latina gives a Latin American woman the feminine counterpart of Latino, placing gender explicitly at the heart of the label.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does latina come from?
The English word was borrowed chiefly from American Spanish. Spanish latina is the feminine form of latino, which derives from Latin Latinus, meaning “of Latium” or “of the Latins.” Latium was the ancient name of the region in central Italy from which the Latin people and their language took their name.
Related word forms
How latina is actually used
The term is most common in the United States and is widely used as an ethnic and cultural label. It generally refers to people with Latin American origins or ancestry, including people whose families come from a specific Latin American country. Context may determine whether it denotes nationality, ethnicity, or cultural identity.
Easily confused with latina
Latino is the masculine form and may refer to a man or boy of Latin American origin, while Latina is the feminine form.
Latin refers to the ancient language, the peoples or cultures of the Italian peninsula, or a language of the Roman Empire, whereas Latina usually identifies a woman or girl associated with Latin America.