color code

¹ American  

noun

1. any system of marking or visual designation that uses specific colors for indicating or simplifying, as on a chart or map or in an industrial plant.

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color-code ² American  

[kuhl-er-kohd] / ˈkʌl ərˌkoʊd /

verb (used with object)

color-coded, color-coding

1. to distinguish or classify with a color code.

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Etymology

Origin of color-code

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

The company uses three different color codes—yellow, orange, and red—to describe the varying levels of urgency needed to tackle problems, according to people familiar with the matter.

From The Wall Street Journal

Another option foregoes the color codes and explicitly details the high content of such ingredients.

From Salon

The volcano’s alert level was raised to warning status and the aviation color code went to red as scientists evaluate the eruption and associated hazards.

From Seattle Times

To find out how much information you will get, on average, from an initial word, you can calculate the entropy for each possible associated color code and weight it with the probability of occurrence.

From Scientific American

It's not legislation to have to put on the front and color code it so that a busy working parent can decide.

From Salon