WANI Dictionary

Hispanic

Traditionally, “Hispanic” means a person of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain.

However, because the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines “Hispanic or Latino” together as “a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race,” there is a confusion in the use of these words.

• Narrow definition: A person of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain.
• Broad definition: A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin.

The broad definition includes “Latino” since Latino means a person of Latin American origin.

Definitions in the literature

• OMB defines "Hispanic or Latino" as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race [1].
• Hispanic Americans are an ethnicity defined as Americans of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Central American, or Southern American culture or origin [2].