Definitions

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Brit. same as colored.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Having a particular colour or kind of colour
  • adjective Having prominent colours; colourful
  • adjective Influenced pervasively but subtly
  • adjective US, older usage, now demeaning Of skin colour other than the white, particularly black.
  • adjective South Africa, potentially offensive Of neither black nor white skin colour.
  • noun colloquial, dated (sometimes derogatory) A person who is not white.
  • verb Simple past tense and past participle of colour.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective (used of color) artificially produced; not natural
  • adjective having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination
  • adjective having skin rich in melanin pigments
  • adjective favoring one person or side over another

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Nelson Mandela used the word 'coloured' in a speech some years ago, I think he's the only one who could get away with it.

    Evening Standard - Home Alistair Foster 2011

  • Hansen made the mistake of using the word "coloured" and not "black" or "Asian" when discussing race relations among the current crop of Premier League players.

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph David Lammy 2012

  • Alan Hansen's Match of the Day blunder in racism row Alan Hansen is forced to make a grovelling apology after using the word "coloured" as he debated racism in football on Match Of The Day Spurs fans also on trial at White Hart Lane John Terry's criminal charge is a long way from reaching judgement but that won't stop wags in the terraces from pronouncing their own...

    Evening Standard - Home 2011

  • Alan Hansen's Match of the Day blunder in racism row Alan Hansen is forced to make a grovelling apology after using the word "coloured" as he debated racism in football on Match Of The Day Spurs fans also on trial at White Hart Lane John Terry's criminal charge is a long way from reaching judgement but that won't stop wags in the terraces from pronouncing their own...

    Evening Standard - Home 2011

  • Plenty of critics have charted the supposed slide of the cinema incarnation of James Bond into the politically correct Judy Dench's M, his boss, calls Bond a "sexist, misogynist dinosaur" in the 1995 film "Goldeneye", and they will doubtless note that in "Carte Blanche" Bond worries that an attractive female South African police office might construe a glance as sexist and is horrified to hear a fellow British agent using the word "coloured" to describe mixed-race South Africans.

    You Only Live About 23 Times Michael C. Moynihan 2011

  • Plenty of critics have charted the supposed slide of the cinema incarnation of James Bond into the politically correct Judy Dench's M, his boss, calls Bond a "sexist, misogynist dinosaur" in the 1995 film "Goldeneye", and they will doubtless note that in "Carte Blanche" Bond worries that an attractive female South African police office might construe a glance as sexist and is horrified to hear a fellow British agent using the word "coloured" to describe mixed-race South Africans.

    You Only Live About 23 Times Michael C. Moynihan 2011

  • Jock, Glasgow, 22/12/2011 13:05 Once again you can't use the word black you can't use the word coloured, when will these coloureds oh sorry black people learn that the what was actually said to Anton i've got a big chip on my shoulder Ferdinand was the correct use of words i.e. black @u£@ the offensive part is actually the @u£@ bit, but you don't see too many coloured, sorry black players getting banned for the use of this language to referees or fellow players.

    Evening Standard - Home Alistair Foster 2011

  • Why would small nuns be going round wrapped in coloured foil? on April 3, 2010 at 1: 29 pm Serpico

    New Financial Year – Now We Can Arrest Again « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2010

  • Looking around at all the lean kids in coloured shirts, even I can see that Manchester United or Liverpool do more to stop British boys being too fat than any government programme.

    Olympic success is great but it will not change society 2008

  • Looking around at all the lean kids in coloured shirts, even I can see that Manchester United or Liverpool do more to stop British boys being too fat than any government programme.

    Archive 2008-08-01 2008

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