1. a name used to identify an ethnic group or people
Usage: used in anthropology, linguistics, and cultural studies

Examples

• The ethnonym 'Cherokee' refers to a Native American people of the southeastern United States.
• Linguists study how ethnonyms change over time and reflect cultural identity.
• The ethnonym 'Basque' identifies the people native to the Basque Country in Spain and France.
• Many ethnonyms have different forms depending on whether they are used by the group itself or by outsiders.
• The term ethnonym comes from Greek roots meaning 'ethnic' and 'name'.