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

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.”

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

Three of those districts are represented by a person of color, while the fourth is vacant.

From Salon

It’s, like, a room full of white guys is merit, but any time that there’s a woman or a person of color in the room, it’s DEI.

From Los Angeles Times

“No, because I know what that feels like,” Cornejo, a person of color, responded.

From Los Angeles Times