'repaint' originates from English composition of the prefix 're-' (from Latin 're-') and the word 'paint', where 're-' meant 'again' and 'paint' originated from Old French 'peindre/peint' meaning 'to paint'.

'paint' came into Middle English from Old French 'peint' (past participle of 'peindre'), which in turn came from Latin 'pingere'. The modern compound 'repaint' developed in English by combining the prefix 're-' with 'paint'.

Initially, 'paint' and related forms meant 'to apply pigment' (from Latin 'pingere'), and the compound 'repaint' has specifically meant 'to paint again' since it entered English—its meaning has remained stable as 'apply paint again'.