Which term refers to shared culture and background?

The term that refers to shared culture and background is ethnicity. Ethnicity encompasses a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition, which often includes shared language, customs, history, and sometimes a common ancestry. It is a broad concept that pertains to the characteristics that define a group of people and their identity based on these shared cultural traits.

In this context, while race can refer to physical characteristics and is often used in a biological or anthropological sense, ethnicity specifically deals with cultural identity. Cultural heritage speaks to the legacy of traditions, language, and artifacts passed down through generations, but it does not solely define the concept of group identity. Tradition, on the other hand, reflects practices or beliefs that are handed down but does not encompass the broader communal connection that ethnicity provides. Thus, ethnicity is the most accurate term to describe shared culture and background.