colored
UK: ˈkʌləd | US: ˈkʌlərd
adj. having color; not black, white, or gray
adj. influenced or biased (often used negatively)
n. (dated, offensive) a person who is not white (historical racial term)
color<color> + ed<adjective suffix>
- color: From Latin color (hue, tint), via Old French colour.
- ed: A suffix forming adjectives from nouns or verbs, indicating possession or condition.
Etymology Origin:
The word colored combines color (rooted in Latin color, meaning visual hue) with the suffix -ed, which turns it into an adjective describing something "having color." Over time, it gained figurative meanings (e.g., biased perception) and was historically misused as a racial label. The Latin color likely stems from Proto-Indo-European kel- (to cover/conceal), linking to how color "covers" surfaces.
She wore a brightly colored dress to the party.
His opinion seemed colored by personal experience.
(Historical context) The term "colored" is now considered offensive in modern usage.
The artist used richly colored pigments in the painting.
Avoid making colored judgments without full evidence.