discoloured

discoloured — adjective

1. having a colour that looks different from the original, usually because of age,

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

having a colour that looks different from the original, usually because of age, stains, heat, or other damage that makes it look less attractive.

Example

Esteban's white shirt was discoloured after being washed with a red towel.

passive: be discoloured after [event]

Beatrix noticed that the old photograph in the hallway had become discoloured around the edges.

collocation: become discoloured

Common collocations
  • become discoloured
  • look discoloured
  • slightly / badly / heavily discoloured
  • discoloured from [heat / smoke / age / coffee]
  • discoloured by [a spill / water / sunlight]
Synonyms
  • faded

    specifically describes loss of colour intensity from light or age, not staining

  • stained

    focuses on marks from a spilled or absorbed substance; stronger implication of dirt or permanent marking

  • tarnished

    used for metals like silver or brass that have darkened from oxidation

  • yellowed

    describes paper, teeth, or fabrics that have turned yellow over time

Antonyms
  • bright

    fresh, clear, and full of original colour

  • pristine

    perfectly clean and unchanged from the original condition

Grammar Patterns

be + discoloured

discoloured + noun

Usage Note

Commonly paired with cause markers: 'from' (discoloured from heat/smoke) or 'by' (discoloured by a spill). Frequently used to describe fabrics, teeth, photographs, paint, metals, and food.

Common Mistakes

This milk is discoloured even though it is still fresh.
This milk has changed colour even though it is still fresh.
'discoloured' implies the change is unwelcome or a sign of reduced quality; neutral colour variation uses different wording.
The walls are discolour.
The walls are discoloured.
'discoloured' is the adjective form; there is no adjective 'discolour' in standard English.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Discoloured' is the broadest term — it covers any unwanted colour change from an object's original state, whether through fading, staining, or ageing. 'Faded' is narrower: it describes a loss of colour intensity, typically from sunlight or washing, without the introduction of a new colour. 'Stained' suggests that an external substance (coffee, wine, mud) has soaked into the material and left a visible mark. 'Tarnished' applies almost exclusively to metals like silver or brass that darken from oxidation. 'Yellowed' is the most specific, describing a shift toward yellow in materials such as old paper, plastic, or teeth. For everyday use, 'discoloured' is the safest choice for objects whose original colour you know; 'stained' works better when the cause is a visible spill.

fadedstainedtarnishedyellowed

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • become discoloured
  • look discoloured
  • turn discoloured

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From the prefix 'dis-' (meaning 'away, reversal') + 'colour', tracing back through Old French 'colour' to Latin 'color' (colour). The UK spelling uses '-our' (colour) while the US spelling uses '-or' (color). The past participle 'discoloured' has been used as an adjective since the 15th century to describe objects that have changed from their original colour, usually for the worse.