colored

1. Having color: colored tissue paper.

2. also Colored Often Offensive

   1. Of or belonging to a racial group not categorized as white.

   2. Black or African-American.

   3. Of mixed racial descent.

3. often Coloured South African Of or belonging to a population grouping made up of persons of mixed racial descent or of certain other nonwhite descent, especially as distinguished during apartheid from Blacks, Asians, or whites.

4. Distorted or biased, as by irrelevant or incorrect information.

1. also Colored Offensive

   1. A person belonging to a racial group not categorized as white.

   2. A Black person; an African American.

   3. A person of mixed racial descent.

2. often Coloured South African A person belonging to the Coloured population grouping, especially during apartheid.

Usage Note: As a racial label, colored can simply mean nonwhite, but in the United States its usage has generally been restricted to persons of African descent. Though long a preferred term among Black Americans, it lost favor as the 20th century progressed, and its use today is often taken to be offensive. In South Africa, where it is spelled as in British English and usually written uppercase, Coloured has generally been used to refer to persons of mixed racial descent as opposed to those of unmixed Black African, Asian, or European origin. Its use as an official ethnic label ended when apartheid was dismantled in 1991. See Usage Note at color.

1. That aspect of things that is caused by differing qualities of the light reflected or emitted by them, definable in terms of the observer or of the light, as:

   1. The appearance of objects or light sources described in terms of the individual's perception of them, involving hue, lightness, and saturation for objects and hue, brightness, and saturation for light sources.

   2. The characteristics of light by which the individual is made aware of objects or light sources through the receptors of the eye, described in terms of dominant wavelength, luminance, and purity.

   3. The general appearance of the skin; complexion.

   4. A ruddy complexion.

   5. A reddening of the face; a blush.

   6. Outward appearance, often deceptive: a tale with the merest color of truth.

   7. Appearance of authenticity: testimony that lends color to an otherwise absurd notion.

   8. Variety of expression.

   9. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it.

2. A substance, such as a dye, pigment, or paint, that imparts a hue.

3. 1. The general appearance of the skin; complexion.

   2. A ruddy complexion.

   3. A reddening of the face; a blush.

   4. Outward appearance, often deceptive: a tale with the merest color of truth.

   5. Appearance of authenticity: testimony that lends color to an otherwise absurd notion.

   6. Variety of expression.

   7. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it.

4. The skin pigmentation of a person not categorized as white.

5. colors A flag or banner, as of a country or military unit.

6. colors The salute made during the ceremony of raising or lowering a flag.

7. colors A distinguishing symbol, badge, ribbon, or mark: the colors of a college.

8. colors One's opinion or position: Stick to your colors.

9. Character or nature. Often used in the plural: revealed their true colors.

10. 1. Outward appearance, often deceptive: a tale with the merest color of truth.

    2. Appearance of authenticity: testimony that lends color to an otherwise absurd notion.

    3. Variety of expression.

    4. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it.

11. 1. Variety of expression.

    2. Vivid, picturesque detail: a story with a lot of color in it.

12. Traits of personality or behavior that attract interest.

13. The use or effect of pigment in painting, as distinct from form.

14. Music Quality of tone or timbre.

15. Law A mere semblance of legal right.

16. A particle or bit of gold found in auriferous gravel or sand.

17. Physics A quantum characteristic of quarks that determines their role in the strong interaction.

1. To impart color to or change the color of.

2. 1. To give a distinctive character or quality to; modify. See Synonyms at bias.

   2. To exert an influence on; affect: The war colored the soldier's life.

   3. To misrepresent, especially by distortion or exaggeration: color the facts.

   4. To gloss over; excuse: a parent who colored the children's lies.

3. 1. To misrepresent, especially by distortion or exaggeration: color the facts.

   2. To gloss over; excuse: a parent who colored the children's lies.

1. 1. To take on color.

   2. To change color.

2. To become red in the face; blush.

Usage Note: Dissatisfaction with the implications of nonwhite as a racial label has doubtless contributed to the recent popularity of the term person of color and others, such as woman of color, with the same construction. In effect, person of color stands nonwhite on its head, substituting a positive for a negative. It is interesting that the almost exclusive association in American English of colored with Black does not carry over to terms formed with "of color," which are used inclusively of most groups other than those of European origin. See Usage Notes at colored, nonwhite.