'pre-tinted' originates from English: the prefix 'pre-' derives from Latin 'prē' meaning 'before', and 'tinted' is the past participle form of 'tint', ultimately from Latin 'tingere' meaning 'to dye'.

'tint' changed from Old French forms such as 'teint'/'teindre', which came from Latin 'tingere'; combined with the productive English prefix 'pre-' (from Latin 'prē') to form the compound adjective 'pre-tinted'.

Initially, related words meant 'to dye or color'; over time the compound came to mean 'colored in advance' (i.e., having been tinted beforehand).