Sallow
/ˈsæloʊ/noun
Pale, sickly, or yellowish in complexion or color.
Did you know?The word comes from Old English and is related to the willow tree, whose pale bark and leaves helped shape the sense of a sickly yellow-green color.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sel-
“To be gray, dirty, or yellowish”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*salwaz
“Dull-colored, dusky, or grayish-yellow”
Old English
OE
salu, saluġ
“Dull yellow, tawny, or dusky-colored”
Middle English
ME
sallow
“Yellowish, sickly, or pale in complexion”
Modern English
English
sallow
“Pale, unhealthy-looking, or yellowish in color”