2 syllables: col, ored. Stress on col.
KUHL-urd
/ˈkʌlɚd/
colored is pronounced KUHL-urd (/ˈkʌlɚd/). It has two syllables (col-ored), with the stress on "col". Colored is the past tense and past participle of color, or an adjective describing something with color. In everyday use, it often modifies nouns to indicate hue or pigmentation, as in “a colored photograph” or “colored glass.” The term can carry regional spellings (color vs. colour) and historical usage in phrases like “colored people” in older contexts, though contemporary usage prefers more precise descriptors. The word is pronounced with a single stressed syllable followed by a voiced -d ending in many dialects.
Colored is the past tense and past participle of color, or an adjective describing something with color. In everyday use, it often modifies nouns to indicate hue or pigmentation, as in “a colored photograph” or “colored glass.” The term can carry regional spellings (color vs. colour) and historical usage in phrases like “colored people” in older contexts, though contemporary usage prefers more precise descriptors. The word is pronounced with a single stressed syllable followed by a voiced -d ending in many dialects.
"The stained glass was colored a deep emerald."
"Her hair was colored to match the autumn leaves."
"We bought colored pencils for the art project."
Say it as /ˈkʌl.ɚd/ in US, /ˈkʌl.əd/ in UK/AU. Start with a short, back-central vowel in the first syllable (like ‘cup’ without the r-color), then a schwa or closer to a relaxed 'uh' in the second syllable, and finish with a clear voiced 'd'. The first syllable is stressed; the second syllable is weak. Mouth: lips relaxed, tongue mid-high for /ʌ/; relax the jaw for /ɚ/ or /ə/ before the final /d/. Audio reference: imagine the quick, clipped quality of “cull” + “ered” without introducing extra vowels.
Two frequent errors:1) Overpronouncing the final -ed as /ɪd/ or /ɪt/, which isn’t typical after /l/ + /ɚ/. 2) Flattening the rhotic vowel in American speakers, pronouncing /ˈkʌl.ɚd/ as /ˈkʌl.ɜːd/ or dropping the rhotic coloration. Correction: keep a short, relaxed /ɚ/ (rhotic schwa) for US, ensuring the tongue curls slightly toward the center; for UK/AU, use /ə/ instead. Practice with minimal pairs to feel the difference between /ɚ/ and /ə/ and ensure the final /d/ is released cleanly.
US: /ˈkʌl.ɚd/ with rhotic /ɚ/ and strong vowel in first syllable; final /d/ is clear. UK: /ˈkʌl.əd/ with a shorter or centralized /ə/ in the second syllable; non-rhotic speakers may weaken the rhotic vowel. AU: similar to US but may sound flatter or less rhotacized; some speakers reduce /ɚ/ to /ə/ and maintain a crisp /d/. Across all, stress remains on the first syllable; the key differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality in the second syllable.
The main challenge is the two-part vowel cluster in the second syllable. US speakers must produce a rhoticized schwa /ɚ/ that blends into /d/ without a noticeable break, while UK/AU speakers balance a reduced /ə/ with clear final /d/. The first syllable’s short /ʌ/ can be tricky if your native language has a different vowel. Additionally, keeping the final /d/released without a puff of air or an extra sound requires careful tension control in the tongue and lips.
Notice the vowel in the second syllable: US speakers typically realize it as /ɚ/ (rhotic schwa), giving a quick, sonorous ending, while UK speakers tend toward /ə/ (non-rhotic). Also, the cohesion of /l/ before /ɚ/ is important: ensure the /l/ is light and the tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge without creating a separate syllable. This can impact rhythm and makes the word sound natural rather than boxed into crisp, separate sounds.
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US: emphasize rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable; keep /ʌ/ bright in the first. UK: reduce the second syllable to /ə/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker; avoid rhoticity on the -er sequence. AU: similar to US but with slightly broader vowels; aim for a light /l/ and a subdued rhotic. IPA anchors: US /ˈkʌl.ɚd/, UK /ˈkʌl.əd/, AU /ˈkʌl.əd/. Vowel notes: /ʌ/ is mid-back, /ɚ/ is rhotacized schwa in US; /ə/ is neutral vowel in UK/AU. Consonant: ensure /l/ is clear but not syllabic; end with a crisp /d/ release.
Colored derives from the verb color, with the past participle suffix -ed forming colored. The root color comes from Latin color, via Old French colour, from Latin color, colore, from Greek chrōs (color, skin, hue). The -ed suffix in English yields the past tense and past participle forms, with pronunciation often altering the final consonant cluster in casual speech. Historically, “colored” appeared in English in the Middle Ages, aligning with other color-related adjectives and participles. In early modern English, “colored” functioned as both a descriptor and a participle in constructions like “colored cloth,” evolving into common usage for describing materials, visuals, and figurative states. In American English, “colored” also carried historical sociopolitical weight in phrases like “colored people,” reflecting the era’s racial classifications; modern usage favors more precise, inclusive descriptors and avoids ambiguous terms in most contexts. The spelling with -ed (colored) contrasts with “colour” British spelling, though the pronunciation often remains similar in non-rhotic and rhotic varieties. First known uses appear in printing from the 15th-16th centuries, with stable integration into everyday lexicon by the 18th century. The word thus sits at the intersection of color theory, textiles, art, and social history, extending beyond simple pigment to connotation and context across English-speaking regions.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "colored" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "colored"
-der sounds
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