'cool-hued' originates from Modern English, formed by combining the adjective 'cool' (from Old English 'cōl', meaning 'cold' or 'moderately cold') and the noun 'hue' (from Old English 'hiw', meaning 'color, appearance').

'cool' developed from Old English 'cōl' (related to concepts of coldness) and continued into Modern English as 'cool'; 'hue' developed from Old English 'hiw' (later Middle English 'hue') and came to mean 'color' in Modern English. The compound 'cool-hued' is a modern descriptive formation using these existing words.

Individually, 'cool' initially referred to temperature ('moderately cold') and 'hue' to 'color'; together as 'cool-hued' the meaning evolved (by transparent compounding) to describe colors that give a cool impression (blues, greens, etc.).