A person of Latin American origin or descent, particularly from Spanish or Portuguese-speaking countries.
From Spanish/Portuguese 'latino,' derived from Latin 'Latinus' (of Latium, the ancient Roman region). The term gained widespread use in English in the 20th century as more Latin Americans immigrated to North America.
The word 'Latino' traces back to ancient Rome, showing how language preserves geography—Latium was just a small region around Rome 2,000 years ago, but its name spread across an entire continent through Spanish and Portuguese colonization.
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