Meaning of colorism | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Prejudice or bias against persons on the basis of their skin color or complexion, often among persons of the same racial identification.
   US, uncountable, usually
2. A style of painting characterised by the use of intense color.
   uncountable, usually

Equivalents

Examples

“Black America used to be, and perhaps still is, a pigmentocracy, which means that the social hierarchy is based largely on colorism.”

“This type⟳ of preferential colorism isn’t only found in the church aisles, it’s at family gatherings, on the dating scene, in the classroom, on the playground—it’s everywhere.”

“Colorism from your own⟳ people feels worse than racism – at the very least your own⟳ family and people should welcome⟳ you, no?”

“Eliminating racism and colorism is, of course, a worthy pursuit, but it’s also impossible to do in the abstract.”

“Like⟳ those, James’s season still gave noticeably less screen time to its Black contestants—and because of James’s Blackness, the colorism that has always plagued The Bachelor became more visible.”

“Like⟳ many other parts of the world, colourism is rampant in India.”

“Turner's colorism with its cosmic world view⟳ had nothing to do with realism, in spite of its impasto handling of colour. […] Turner's images are based on the far-sighted and purely objective views of the 18th century which he imbued with new meaning through his colorism based on colour theory and plein-air painting.”

CEFR level