Dye
/daɪ/noun
A substance used to add color to textiles or other materials.
Did you know?The word 'dye' comes from an ancient root meaning 'to wet,' connecting it to rituals of coloring the soul and spirit.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dhew-
“to flow, to swell; to moisten or wet.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
δύω (dyo)
“to sink or dive, evoking the deep saturation of color.”
Old English
Old English
deahha
“a term for dye, linked to the act of coloring.”
14th Century
Middle English
dye
“to color a fabric using methods often steeped in tradition and ritual.”
Modern English
English
dye
“the process of imparting color, now industrialized but with roots in ancient practices.”