coloured
coloured — adjective
1. describes something that has one or more specific colours, as opposed to being w
describes something that has one or more specific colours, as opposed to being white, black, or grey
Leila wore a brightly coloured scarf around her neck on the first day of spring.
collocation: brightly coloured
The art teacher handed out a new set of coloured pencils to every student in the class.
collocation: coloured pencils
Aiko buys white sheets and towels because coloured ones tend to fade after washing.
The old church in our village has beautiful coloured glass windows showing scenes from the Bible.
Nikolai wore a plain dark suit to the ceremony rather than something brightly coloured.
- white
achromatic; the opposite of coloured in laundry contexts
- colourless
completely without colour, like water or air
用法筆記
American English spells this word 'colored' (without the 'u'). This is the standard spelling in the US, while 'coloured' is used in British and Commonwealth English.
常見錯誤
2. an old and now offensive word for someone whose skin is not white. You should no
an old and now offensive word for someone whose skin is not white. You should not use this word today.
In historical documents from the 1950s, the term 'coloured' was frequently used to describe non-white people.
historical usage only — do not use today
Using 'coloured' to describe someone's skin colour is now regarded as highly offensive and unacceptable.
Many old books still contain the word 'coloured' in ways that modern readers find deeply shocking.
Teachers today explain that 'coloured' was once a common label but should never be used to describe a person now.
用法筆記
This is the MOST offensive sense of 'coloured'. Never use it to describe a person or group. The acceptable modern terms depend on context: 'Black', 'person of colour', or specific ethnic/national labels are preferred. This sense is only encountered in historical texts or discussions about outdated terminology.
常見錯誤
3. under the former apartheid system in South Africa, this term referred to someone
under the former apartheid system in South Africa, this term referred to someone whose parents came from different racial backgrounds. It is now often seen as offensive.
Under South Africa's apartheid system, people were officially labelled as 'coloured' if they had mixed-race parents.
apartheid-era classification — now considered offensive by many
Some older South Africans still describe themselves as 'coloured', but younger generations largely reject the term.
Historical records from Cape Town show that the 'coloured' category under apartheid included families with very diverse backgrounds.
A museum exhibit in Johannesburg explains how the apartheid government used 'coloured' as an official racial classification.
用法筆記
In South Africa, the term has a specific historical meaning under apartheid law but is distinct from the broader offensive sense (sense 2). Some individuals and communities in South Africa still use it for self-identification, but outsiders should avoid it as it is widely considered offensive.
常見錯誤
coloured — noun
1. a deeply insulting term for a non-white person, which some governments once used
a deeply insulting term for a non-white person, which some governments once used in their official documents and classifications
The old law books referred to non-white citizens as 'coloureds', a word that is now deeply offensive.
historical official term — extremely offensive today
A 1960s sign reading 'No coloureds allowed' now stands in a museum as a reminder of past racial discrimination.
When reading novels from the 1940s, you may come across the noun 'coloureds' used in ways that shock modern readers.
The term 'coloureds' appeared on official forms and housing documents throughout the segregation era in several countries.
用法筆記
This noun form is even more offensive than the adjective form (sense 2). It reduces a person to a category label. Modern readers encounter it only in historical texts, museum exhibits, or discussions about the history of racism.
常見錯誤
2. during South Africa's apartheid era, a label for someone of mixed racial backgro
during South Africa's apartheid era, a label for someone of mixed racial background. Many people now regard it as offensive.
Under apartheid, a person classified as a 'coloured' had different legal rights from white or black South Africans.
apartheid-era legal classification
The Population Registration Act of 1950 officially divided South Africans into whites, blacks, Indians, and coloureds.
The label 'Cape Coloured' was used under apartheid for a specific mixed-heritage community in the Western Cape region.
In old South African census data, the 'coloured' category included people of Khoisan, Malay, and European ancestry.
用法筆記
This noun sense is tied specifically to South African history. Unlike the adjective sense (adj/2) which has general offensive meaning, this noun has a specific legal-bureaucratic history under apartheid. Nevertheless, using it directly to label a person is still offensive to many.
3. a category of garments that are not white — used most often when separating laun
a category of garments that are not white — used most often when separating laundry for washing
Be sure to separate the whites from the coloureds before putting the laundry into the washing machine.
collocation: separate whites from coloureds
Mia sorted the laundry into three piles: whites, coloureds, and delicate fabrics that needed hand washing.
My grandmother always washed coloureds in cold water to stop the different colours from running into each other.
Check the label before you wash coloureds — some items need a gentle cycle to protect the fabric.
- non-white clothing
more explicit but less common in everyday laundry talk
- whites
the opposite category in laundry sorting
用法筆記
This is the only neutral noun sense of 'coloureds'. It always refers to items of clothing, never to people. It is used almost exclusively in the plural form and in the context of laundry sorting.
常見錯誤
coloured — suffix
1. used after a word for a colour to make an adjective describing something that ha
used after a word for a colour to make an adjective describing something that has that particular colour
Yusuf wore a cream-coloured linen shirt to the outdoor wedding reception.
combining form: cream-coloured
The living room walls were painted a warm honey-coloured shade that brightened the whole space.
A small rose-coloured lamp stood on the bedside table and gave the room a soft glow.
The kitten had a soft caramel-coloured coat with four white paws and bright green eyes.
文法句型
[colour] + coloured
用法筆記
This combining form attaches to a wide range of colour words — both basic colours (cream-coloured, rose-coloured) and more creative or descriptive ones (caramel-coloured, honey-coloured, brick-coloured). In American English, the spelling changes to '-colored' (e.g., 'cream-colored').