color line: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, academic, historical, sociological
Quick answer
What does “color line” mean?
The social and legal barrier that separates non-white people from white people, especially relating to segregation and discrimination.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The social and legal barrier that separates non-white people from white people, especially relating to segregation and discrimination.
The figurative boundary marking social, economic, or political segregation based on race or ethnicity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'colour line' (UK), 'color line' (US). The concept, while universally understood, is most frequently referenced in the context of US history and sociology.
Connotations
In US usage, it directly evokes the Jim Crow era and the writings of W.E.B. Du Bois ('The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line'). In UK/Commonwealth usage, it more often refers to racial segregation in a broader, sometimes more international context (e.g., South African apartheid).
Frequency
The term is more frequent in American English due to its specific historical context. In British English, it is a recognized but less commonly used term, often appearing in historical or academic texts.
Grammar
How to Use “color line” in a Sentence
cross/break the color linedraw/enforce a color linethe color line between [group A] and [group B]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “color line” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The policy effectively colour-lined public facilities.
- They were accused of colour-lining their hiring practices.
American English
- Laws were enacted to color-line neighborhoods.
- The club was criticized for color-lining its membership.
adverb
British English
- The community was divided colour-line. (Rare/archaic)
American English
- The schools were split color-line. (Rare/archaic)
adjective
British English
- The colour-line policies of the past are now illegal.
- It was a colour-line issue that divided the nation.
American English
- Color-line thinking persisted long after the laws changed.
- He wrote about the color-line dynamics in northern cities.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) reports discussing historical barriers.
Academic
Common in sociology, history, African American studies, and critical race theory texts.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual conversation. Used in informed discussions about race and history.
Technical
Used as a specific term in sociological and historical discourse.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “color line”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “color line”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “color line”
- Using it to describe any minor difference in opinion (hyperbole).
- Misspelling as 'colored line', which changes the meaning to a line that is colored.
- Using it in a present-day context without acknowledging its historical weight.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is used primarily in historical, academic, or analytical contexts to describe past systems of segregation. To discuss modern inequalities, terms like 'systemic racism' or 'racial disparity' are more common.
The term was popularized by African-American intellectual and activist W.E.B. Du Bois in his 1903 book 'The Souls of Black Folk', where he stated, 'The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line.'
The term itself is not offensive; it is a standard historical and sociological term. However, its use requires sensitivity to the painful history of legalized racial segregation it describes.
'Racial discrimination' is a broader term for prejudicial treatment. 'Color line' specifically refers to the institutionalized barrier or system that enforces segregation and separation between racial groups, often with legal backing.
The social and legal barrier that separates non-white people from white people, especially relating to segregation and discrimination.
Color line is usually formal, academic, historical, sociological in register.
Color line: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkʌlə laɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkʌlɚ laɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Crossing the color line was a dangerous act of defiance.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a literal line drawn on the ground, colored differently, that people were forbidden to cross based on their skin color. This 'line of color' was the color line.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL BARRIER/SEPARATION IS A PHYSICAL LINE (to cross, break, draw, enforce).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is closest in meaning to 'color line' in a historical US context?