Definition of "coloration" [col•or•a•tion]

• Arrangement of colors. (noun)
• The sum of the beliefs or principles of a person, group, or institution. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Both can have VERY similar coats and both vary in coloration depending on the climate and geographic area."
• "I went out and purchased a "souvenir plate" that looks very similar to the NM plate in coloration and simply has ROUTE 66 on it."
• "(Never mind that the genetic differences that determine skin coloration are so insignificant that there is no way they can account for something as complex as intelligence)."