Final answer:
The term 'Latino' refers to individuals with Latin American heritage, while 'Hispanic' specifically relates to Spanish-speaking individuals or those from Spanish-speaking nations. Both terms describe ethnic categories not limited by race, and there is a movement towards using 'Latinx' for inclusivity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Defining Latino and Latin American
The terms Latino and Latin American have distinct meanings and connotations. Latino refers to individuals who come from, or whose ancestors came from, Latin America, which encompasses Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean Islands.
However, the term Latino is often used interchangeably with Hispanic, which more specifically refers to people who are native speakers of Spanish or those descended from Spanish-speaking countries. This can include people from countries such as Spain, which is Hispanic but not Latino, and Brazil, which is Latino but not Hispanic. Latinos and Hispanics can be of any race or ethnicity.
In the United States, Hispanic or Latino is recognized as an ethnic category rather than a racial one, with individuals often selecting "other" when asked to identify a racial category on official documents like the US census. There is a growing push for the more gender-neutral term Latinx to be used to acknowledge the diverse gender identities within the community.