'recolor' originates from Modern English, formed by the prefix 're-' and the word 'color'; 're-' (from Latin 're-') meant 'again' and 'color' comes from Latin 'color' meaning 'color'.

'color' entered English via Old French 'colur' and Middle English 'colour'; the modern verb 'recolor' was formed in Modern English by adding the productive prefix 're-' to 'color'.

Initially, it literally meant 'to color again'; over time the usage stayed largely the same but broadened to include 'to change or alter color' (including digital color changes).