'color-aware' originates from the combination of 'color' and 'aware', where 'color' refers to the property of objects that results from the light they emit or transmit, and 'aware' means having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.

'color' and 'aware' have been used in English since the Middle Ages, but the compound 'color-aware' is a modern term that emerged with the development of technology and design.

Initially, 'aware' meant 'conscious' or 'informed', and 'color' referred to hues. Together, they now describe the capability to recognize colors, especially in technology.