Ethno Root Word: Definition, Meaning & Examples

Definition & Meaning: Ethno Word Root

The Greek word, Ethno, essentially means a nation, people, or culture. Ethnology is the study of the characteristics of different peoples and the differences and relationships between them; ethnicity is the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition; ethnocentric refers to evaluating other peoples and cultures according to one’s own assumptions or preconceptions; the adjective ethnic relates to a population group with a common national or cultural tradition.

Diagram illustrating words derived from the root "Ethno" with their meanings.

Words Based on the Ethno Word Root

Following is a list of root words based on the “Ethno” Root word:

Commonly Used Words based on this Word Root

Ethnic: A reference to a social group who share cultural bonds (religious, national, etc.) or physical (racial) characteristics.
Ethnicity: The fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.
Ethnocentric: The viewpoint that one’s own group is the centre of everything.

Archaic Words based on this Word Root

Ethnagogue: Someone who leads a nation or a leader of a nation.
Ethnarch: A governor of a nation or people; a ruler over a province.
Ethnarchy: The dignity or office of an ethnarch.

Technical Words/Jargon based on this Word Root

Ethnoarchaeology: The branch of anthropology that studies prehistoric people and their cultures.
Ethnobiological: An adjective modifying studies related to ethnobiology.
Ethnobiologist: Someone who is a specialist in the study of ethnobiology or the study of ethnic groups as they are affected by the biological factors in their environment.
Ethnobiology: The biological study of human races.
Ethnobiomedicine: The use of herbs (medicinal plants) by other cultures to fight various physical ailments; such as, yellow fever, malaria, heart disease, snake bites, mental illness, high-blood pressure, etc.
Ethnobotanic: A reference to ethnobotany.
Ethnobotanist: An ethnologist who studies relationships between people from various cultures and their plant life.
Ethnocracy: Government by an ethnic group or race.

Related Word Roots

1. Anthropo- (Greek: ‘human’)

Anthropology: The study of human societies and cultures.
Anthropocentric: Considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe.
Anthropomorphism: Attributing human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities.

2. Culturo-

Cultural: Relating to the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a society.
Culturology: The study of culture and cultural phenomena.
Culturist: A person who is concerned with the cultivation or development of culture or the arts.

With this, we come to an end of this lesson on the Root word Ethno. Hope your learning has been immense. Keep revising, keep learning with wordpandit. Here’s wishing you an enriching vocabulary.