'color-producing' originates from the English compound of the noun 'color' and the present participle 'producing'. 'color' ultimately comes from Latin, specifically the word 'color' (via Old French 'colour'), where it meant 'hue, pigmentation'; 'produce' comes from Latin, specifically the word 'producere', where 'pro-' meant 'forth' and 'ducere' meant 'to lead'.

'color' entered English via Old French 'colour' from Latin 'color'; 'produce' entered English from Latin 'producere' through Old French and Middle English; the compound 'color-producing' is a Modern English formation combining the noun and a present participle (also seen with British spelling as 'colour-producing').

Initially it expressed the literal sense of 'bringing forth or showing color'; over time it has been used more broadly in technical and descriptive contexts to mean 'causing or generating visible color'.