deep-dyed
|deep-dyed|
/ˌdiːpˈdaɪd/
thoroughly colored / deeply ingrained
Etymology
'deep-dyed' originates from the Modern English compounding of 'deep' + the past participle 'dyed', where 'deep' meant 'far down/strong' and 'dye' meant 'to color'.
'deep' goes back to Old English 'dēop' meaning 'deep', and 'dye' derives from Old English/Old Norse and later Middle English forms related to coloring; the compound 'deep-dyed' developed in Modern English as a descriptive phrase for cloth and later extended figuratively.
Initially it described fabric that was dyed deeply (literal meaning); over time it gained a figurative sense of something being thoroughly ingrained or firmly held.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
thoroughly or deeply dyed; the color has been made to penetrate well and is hard to wash out (literal).
The fabric was deep-dyed to ensure the color would not fade.
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Adjective 2
used figuratively to mean thoroughly ingrained, firmly held, or long-established (e.g., a deep-dyed conservative).
He is a deep-dyed skeptic who rarely takes anything at face value.
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Last updated: 2025/10/23 03:29