color line
noun
variants
US color line
or British colour line
plural color lines
: a set of societal or legal barriers that segregates people of color from white people (as by restricting social interaction or requiring separate facilities) and prevents people of color from exercising the same rights and accessing the same opportunities as white people
—usually used with the
His father … had grown up in California with Jackie Robinson, who broke the color line in Major League Baseball.—Maureen O'Donnell
called also color bar
Cite this Entry
“Color line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/color%20line. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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