'color-repellent' originates from the combination of 'color' and 'repellent', where 'color' refers to the property of an object that produces different sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits light, and 'repellent' means to drive back or resist.

'color-repellent' is a modern English term formed by combining 'color' and 'repellent', both of which have roots in Latin and Old French.

Initially, 'repellent' meant 'driving back', but in combination with 'color', it evolved to mean 'resisting color absorption'.