person of color
noun
plural people of color also persons of color
: a person whose skin pigmentation is other than and especially darker than what is considered characteristic of people typically defined as white (see white entry 1 sense 2a) : a person who is of a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) other than white or who is of mixed race
People of color account for 43 percent of the active-duty military, but the top ranks are largely white and male.—
Helene Cooper
Helene CooperBecause we are so accustomed to talking about race in terms of black and white, we often fail to recognize and contest expressions of racism that target people of color who are not black.—Angela Y. Davis
Angela Y. DavisExamples of person of color in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As a person of color and a woman, she’s got two points in her favor if that is indeed what Trump is looking for.
—Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2024
Nearly four in 10 missing children in the U.S. are Black, according to the Black and Missing Foundation, a nonprofit that bring awareness to missing persons of color across the country.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
Jefferson is the only person of color nominated in two separate categories this year, and is one of only two Black writer-directors to be nominated for their debut movies.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 13 Feb. 2024
But for a national broadcaster mandated to reflect all audiences across the whole of the U.K. to have just one person of color, nobody based outside of London or the South East, and of the recent appointees none with editorial or broadcast experience, this is perplexing and limiting.
—Byrozina Breen, Fortune Europe, 1 Feb. 2024
Like other elements of the criminal justice system, because the victim is a person of color, there will be little to no accountability for the person who committed the deed theft.
—Kimanzi Constable, Parents, 22 Feb. 2024
As in prior years, teams must interview at least two persons of color and/or women for the head coach position — in person — before filling the vacancy to satisfy the Rooney Rule.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 24 Jan. 2024
Most of the book challenges in 2023 were against books written by or about a person of color or a member of the LGBTQ community, according to the ALA.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 11 Jan. 2024
Butler becomes the first out gay person of color to serve in the Senate, and the first out LGBTQ+ person to represent California in the chamber.
—Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2023
Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2024
Nearly four in 10 missing children in the U.S. are Black, according to the Black and Missing Foundation, a nonprofit that bring awareness to missing persons of color across the country.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
Jefferson is the only person of color nominated in two separate categories this year, and is one of only two Black writer-directors to be nominated for their debut movies.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 13 Feb. 2024
But for a national broadcaster mandated to reflect all audiences across the whole of the U.K. to have just one person of color, nobody based outside of London or the South East, and of the recent appointees none with editorial or broadcast experience, this is perplexing and limiting.
—Byrozina Breen, Fortune Europe, 1 Feb. 2024
Like other elements of the criminal justice system, because the victim is a person of color, there will be little to no accountability for the person who committed the deed theft.
—Kimanzi Constable, Parents, 22 Feb. 2024
As in prior years, teams must interview at least two persons of color and/or women for the head coach position — in person — before filling the vacancy to satisfy the Rooney Rule.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 24 Jan. 2024
Most of the book challenges in 2023 were against books written by or about a person of color or a member of the LGBTQ community, according to the ALA.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 11 Jan. 2024
Butler becomes the first out gay person of color to serve in the Senate, and the first out LGBTQ+ person to represent California in the chamber.
—Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'person of color.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near person of color
Cite this Entry
“Person of color.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/person%20of%20color. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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