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.

Example Sentences

The National Theatre is among the cultural treasures of the U.K., so it is history-making that the institution is now headed by Indhu Rubasingham, the first woman and person of color in charge.

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In any case, he’s more embracing of his identity as a person of color than Bastian.

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If he wins, he will likely be the only person of color collecting a trophy at the ceremony.

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It enrages her that “some people have more barriers than others, whether it means that you’re working class or poor, or a person of color, or queer, or part of the gender spectrum.”

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Joseph I. Castro, the first person of color to lead the California State University system, died Sunday after a battle with colon cancer.

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