person of color

[ pur-suhn uhv kuhl-er ]

noun

, plural people of color, persons of color.

1. a person who is not white:

   The corporation was especially eager to recruit women and people of color.

Sensitive Note

See Black ¹.

Word History and Origins

Origin of person of color¹

First recorded in 1785–90

Idioms and Phrases

A nonwhite person, such as someone of African or Native American descent. For example, They have made a genuine effort to promote persons of color to executive positions . This seemingly modern euphemism actually dates from the late 1700s and was revived in the late 1900s.