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person of color

[ pur-suhnuhv kuhl-er ]
/ ˈpɜr sən əv ˈkʌl ər /
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noun, plural people of color, persons of color.
a person who is not white: The corporation was especially eager to recruit women and people of color.
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Origin of person of color

First recorded in 1785–90

usage note for person of color

See Black1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Other Idioms and Phrases with person of color

person of color

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.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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