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Anglo-
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pref.
England; English: Anglo-Saxon.

[New Latin, from Latin Anglī, the English people; see ANGLE.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
An·glo (ăngglō)
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n. pl. An·glos
1. An Anglo-American.
2. An English-speaking person, especially a white North American who is not of Hispanic or French ancestry.

[Short for ANGLO-AMERICAN.]

Anglo adj.

Usage Note: In contemporary American usage, Anglo is used primarily in distinguishing a white English-speaking person from a person of Hispanic heritage. In this context it is not limited to persons of English ancestry, but can be generally applied to any non-Hispanic white person. Thus in parts of the United States with large Hispanic populations, an American of Polish, Irish, or German heritage might be termed an Anglo just as readily as a person of English ancestry. However, in parts of the country where the Hispanic community is small, or in areas where ethnic distinctions among European groups remain strong, Anglo has little currency as a general term for non-Hispanic whites. · Anglo is also used in non-Hispanic contexts. In Canada, where its usage dates at least to 1800, the distinction is between persons of English and French ancestry. And in American historical contexts Anglo is normally used more strictly to refer to persons of English heritage.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.