The term "half-caste" was common in British colonies, however it was not exclusive to the British Empire. Other colonial empires such as Spain devised terms for mixed-race children. The Spanish colonies devised a complex system of castas, consisting of mulattos, mestizos, and many other descriptors. French colonies used terms such as Métis, while the Portuguese used the term "mestiço". French colonies in the Caribbean referred to half-caste people as "Chabine" (female) and "Chabin" (male). Before the American Civil War, the term "mestee" was commonly applied in the United States to certain people of mixed descent.