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colored

adj. · n.
US //ˈkəɫɝd// UK //kˈʌləd// col·ored
  1. 1 having color (adj.)
    A2 Elementary American English

    having a color or being colorful rather than black and white.

    possessing a specific hue or variety of hues; often used in contrast to monochrome or transparent states.

    Example

    The children used colored pencils to draw a bright rainbow.

    Example

    The photographer preferred colored filters to enhance the natural warmth of the desert landscape during the golden hour.
  2. 2 influenced or biased (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    influenced by a particular feeling, opinion, or bias.

    distorted or influenced by a particular prejudice, emotion, or perspective; often used to describe reports or memories.

    Example

    His memory of the event was colored by his anger at the time.

    Example

    The witness's testimony was clearly colored by her long-standing professional rivalry with the defendant.
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  1. 3 racial descriptor (offensive) (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency American English Archaic

    an old word for people who are not white; today, this is considered very offensive in many places.

    a racial descriptor for non-white individuals, particularly those of African descent. In modern American and British contexts, this term is considered highly offensive and derogatory.

    Example

    The museum displayed signs from the 1950s that showed where colored people were allowed to sit.

    Example

    The historian analyzed the segregationist policies that mandated separate facilities for white and colored citizens during the Jim Crow era.

    Usage

    In modern English, this term is almost exclusively found in historical texts or used as a slur.

    Teacher's tip

    Learners must avoid using this term to describe people in modern contexts as it is deeply offensive; 'people of color' is the modern, respectful alternative in the US.

  2. 4 laundry items (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English

    clothes that are not white and should be washed together.

    items of laundry that are not white and may bleed dye if washed at high temperatures.

    Example

    Make sure you separate the whites from the coloreds before starting the laundry.

    Example

    The instruction manual suggests washing coloreds in cold water to prevent the fabric from fading over time.
Origin

From color + -ed.

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