color line

American

[kuhl-er lahyn] / ˈkʌl ər ˌlaɪn /

noun

Also called color bar. social or political restriction or distinction based on differences of skin pigmentation, as between white and Black people.

idioms

draw the color line, to observe a color line.

Etymology

Origin of color line

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This is the moment for us to lean into solidarity — to learn from our shared history of struggling for a better society and democracy on both sides of the color line.

From Salon • Feb. 1, 2026

When Jackie Robinson entered the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his informational plaque didn’t mention that he had broken baseball’s color line.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

His manager was Spider Jorgensen, whose big league debut in 1947 had been somewhat overshadowed by teammate Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s color line that day.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 3, 2025

We know the history and present of this country and the color line.

From Salon • Sep. 14, 2023

In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first Negro player to break the color line in baseball, when owner Branch Rickey invited him to join the Brooklyn Dodgers and integrate what was then America’s favorite sport.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023