An ethnic group is best described as

• A. A group socially distinguished from other groups, with own subculture and shared feeling of peoplehood
• B. A group defined by genetic similarity
• C. A group defined by legal status
• D. A group unified by income

Answer: (A)

Ethnicity centers on cultural identity and shared practices that bind people together, such as language, customs, religion, and a sense of common history or peoplehood. The description that fits best is a group that is socially distinguished from others, has its own subculture, and shares a feeling of peoplehood. That combination captures both distinct cultural practices and a shared identity, which are the hallmarks of ethnicity.

Defining a group by genetic similarity aligns with race, not ethnicity. Defining it by legal status points to citizenship or nationality, a political category rather than cultural belonging. Linking it to income describes social class, which is about economic position rather than cultural identity.