colored
UK[ˈkʌləd]US[ˈkʌlərd]
adj
having a color or a particular color
adj
(of a person) belonging to a race of people who are not white, especially black people (dated and offensive in modern contexts)
adj
influenced or biased
Morpheme Breakdown
color
ed
color
hue, pigment
ed
having the quality of
Etymology
the word 'colored' originates from the latin noun 'color', which referred to a hue, tint, or outward appearance. this latin term was adopted into old french as 'colour' and subsequently entered middle english. the suffix '-ed', of old english and germanic origin, is a common adjectival ending used to denote possession of a quality, as seen in words like 'talented' or 'winged'. therefore, the literal construction "having color" evolved from a simple descriptive term to also acquire figurative and, in specific socio-historical contexts, highly charged meanings related to race and bias.
Analysis
Structure: color (hue, pigment) + ed (having the quality of)
- color: from latin 'color' (color, hue, appearance). functions as the core noun root.
- ed: from old english '-ed', '-od', '-ad', a suffix forming past participles and adjectives meaning "having, provided with, characterized by".
Examples
she wore a brightly colored dress to the party.
the old legal documents used the outdated and offensive term "colored" to segregate facilities.
his opinion on the matter is clearly colored by his personal experience.