adjective
Common
coloured
KUHL-uhd
Coloured (adjective) means British spelling of colored. Example: “She drew the picture with brightly coloured pencils.”
adjective
1
British spelling of colored.
"She drew the picture with brightly coloured pencils."
"The children sorted the coloured beads into little piles on the carpet."
"For this scene, a large number of supers are engaged, and in order to further swell the crowd, practically all the available stage hands have to ‘walk on’ dressed in various coloured dominoes, and all wearing masks."
— Baroness Orczy i.e, The Affair at the Novelty Theatre (1904)
"The brightly coloured kites filled the sky at the festival."
How to use coloured
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBritish spelling of "colored" — same meanings and same caution around describing people.
When to use it
As with "colored," using this word to describe a person's race is outdated and offensive in most English-speaking countries, though "Coloured" remains a specific, non-offensive term in South Africa.
UK vs US
British/Commonwealth spelling; American English uses "colored."
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more coloured
- Superlative
- most coloured
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She drew the picture with brightly _____ pencils.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for coloured
uncured
figured
injured
assured
secured
insured
scoured
captured
favoured
tortured
measured
honoured
See all rhymes for coloured →
Frequently asked questions
What does “coloured” mean?
The word “coloured” means british spelling of colored. In plain terms, british spelling of "colored" — same meanings and same caution around describing people.
How do you pronounce “coloured”?
“Coloured” is pronounced KUHL-uhd (/ˈkʌl.əd/ in IPA).
How do you use “coloured” in a sentence?
Here is “coloured” used in a sentence: “The brightly coloured kites filled the sky at the festival.”
What part of speech is “coloured”?
“Coloured” is an adjective.
Is “coloured” a common word?
“Coloured” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between 'coloured' and 'colored'?
There is no difference in meaning. Coloured is the British English spelling and colored is the American English spelling of the same word.
When should you use 'coloured' instead of 'colored'?
Use coloured when writing in British English and colored when writing in American English. Keep the spelling consistent with the rest of your document.
Do 'coloured' and 'colored' mean different things?
No. They are simply two spellings of the same adjective, identical in meaning. The choice depends only on whether you are using British or American English.
What other words follow the same pattern as 'coloured'?
Many British spellings keep a 'u' that American spellings drop, following the -our versus -or pattern. Examples include colour/color, favour/favor, and honour/honor.
