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Definition of colorism

colorism

/ˈkʌl.ər.ɪz.əm/
(UK: colourism)
col · or · ism
Adjective:colorist
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colorism Lexical Profile

colorism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

American Prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group.

Example

"The sociological study examined how colorism affects hiring practices and media representation across various communities."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for colorism

Word Nuance & Usage

While 'racism' refers to discrimination based on racial or ethnic group membership as a whole, 'colorism' specifically denotes bias based on the lightness or darkness of a person's skin tone, often occurring within the same racial or ethnic group.

• Nearby Words

colorfully
colorfulness
coloring
colorism
colorist
coloristic
colorization

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in its modern sociological sense by American author Alice Walker in her 1983 book 'In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens', formed from 'color' and the suffix '-ism'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Colorism. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/colorism
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