'Latinx' originates from English and Spanish, specifically adapting the modern word 'Latino'/'Latina', where the suffixes '-o' and '-a' marked masculine and feminine; the letter 'x' was adopted in the early 21st century in activist and academic contexts to form a gender-neutral ending.

'Latino' ultimately derives from Latin 'Latinus' (referring to Latium, a region of ancient Italy). The Spanish term 'Latino' passed into contemporary English usage to refer to people from Latin America; 'Latinx' is a recent modification of that modern term intended to remove gendered endings.

Initially the root ('Latinus') referred to origin 'of Latium' and later 'Latino' came to mean a person from Latin America; 'Latinx' has since evolved as a gender-neutral label to refer to people of Latin American origin regardless of gender.