'color-bearing' originates from English, specifically a compound of 'color' and 'bearing', where 'color' comes from Latin 'color' meaning 'color' and 'bearing' comes from Old English 'beran' meaning 'to carry'.

'color' entered English via Old French/Latin into Middle English as 'colour', while 'bear' comes from Old English 'beran' (to carry); the modern compound 'color-bearing' is a straightforward modern English compound of these elements.

Initially the separate elements meant 'color' and 'to carry'; as a compound it has come to mean 'carrying or possessing color' (i.e., 'having color').