colour bar: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Historical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “colour bar” mean?
A social system or practice that prevents people of different races from mixing together on equal terms, especially by restricting the rights and opportunities of non-white people.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A social system or practice that prevents people of different races from mixing together on equal terms, especially by restricting the rights and opportunities of non-white people.
Historically, any legal or social barrier preventing people of different racial groups from accessing the same facilities, neighbourhoods, jobs, or institutions. In contemporary use, it can metaphorically refer to any barrier based on arbitrary or discriminatory criteria.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English uses 'colour bar' as the standard spelling. American English typically uses 'color bar'. The concept is more directly associated with British colonial history and apartheid in US discourse, while 'Jim Crow laws' or 'segregation' are more common American historical terms for similar practices.
Connotations
Identical in connotation (highly negative), but the British usage may evoke images of colonial Africa and India, while the American usage more immediately evokes the pre-1960s American South.
Frequency
Much more common in British English than American English. In modern American English, 'racial segregation' or 'Jim Crow' are far more frequent.
Grammar
How to Use “colour bar” in a Sentence
The [institution] enforced a colour bar.They campaigned against the colour bar.The colour bar prevented [group] from [action].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “colour bar” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The club was accused of trying to colour-bar non-white members.
- Legislation was passed to colour-bar certain professions.
American English
- The university was found to have color-barred its admissions process.
- They attempted to color-bar the neighbourhood through restrictive covenants.
adjective
British English
- The colour-bar policies were finally repealed.
- He lived through the colour-bar era.
American English
- The color-bar system was deeply entrenched.
- They challenged the color-bar legislation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in historical case studies about discriminatory hiring or customer service policies.
Academic
Common in historical, sociological, and post-colonial studies texts.
Everyday
Very rare in modern casual conversation. Used when discussing history or making historical analogies.
Technical
Used as a precise historical term in legal, historical, and sociological discourse.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “colour bar”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “colour bar”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “colour bar”
- Confusing it with 'color bar' in graphics/printing (a chart of colour samples). Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They colour barred him' is incorrect). Using it to describe modern casual racism rather than institutional systems.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily a historical term. In modern discourse, terms like 'systemic racism', 'institutional discrimination', or simply 'segregation' are more common, though 'colour bar' is used when referring specifically to historical contexts.
'Apartheid' (Afrikaans for 'apartness') refers specifically to the legalised system of racial segregation in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s. 'Colour bar' is a broader term that can apply to similar systems in other countries and historical periods, like the British Empire or the pre-Civil Rights US.
Yes, though it's less common. The verb form (to colour-bar/color-bar) means to exclude someone based on race using such a system (e.g., 'They colour-barred black soldiers from the officers' club').
The term itself is not offensive, but it describes a profoundly offensive and unjust practice. It should be used with appropriate historical sensitivity and accuracy.
A social system or practice that prevents people of different races from mixing together on equal terms, especially by restricting the rights and opportunities of non-white people.
Colour bar is usually formal, historical, academic in register.
Colour bar: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkʌlə ˌbɑː(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkʌlər ˌbɑːr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Break the colour bar”
- “On the wrong side of the colour bar”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BAR painted in different COLOURs, but people are only allowed to pass if their skin matches one specific colour.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION IS A PHYSICAL BARRIER.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'colour bar' most accurately used?