What does ethnicity primarily refer to?

Ethnicity primarily refers to the shared cultural characteristics, language, traditions, and ancestry that differentiate one group from another. It encompasses aspects such as cultural practices, heritage, language, and sometimes religion. Therefore, the answer highlighting "one's narrower geographic roots coupled with religious or cultural roots" aligns closely with the concept of ethnicity, as it emphasizes the cultural identity that is often geographically defined.

While the other options touch on relevant social constructs, they don't capture the essence of ethnicity as precisely. Genetic heritage and lineage pertain more to biological ancestry and genetics, which might intersect with ethnicity but do not define it. Socioeconomic status relates to a person’s economic and social position based on income, education, and occupation, which is distinct from the cultural and identity aspects of ethnicity. Lastly, nation of citizenship and legal status focuses on legal definitions of belonging to a particular country, rather than the shared cultural attributes that characterize ethnicity. Thus, choice A is the most appropriate description of what ethnicity primarily refers to.