'yellow-tinged' originates from Old English and Old French, specifically 'yellow' from Old English 'geolu' meaning 'yellow' and 'tinge' from Old French 'teint'/'teindre' meaning 'to dye or color.'

'yellow' changed from Old English word 'geolu' and eventually became the modern English word 'yellow'; 'tinge' came into English via Old French 'teint' and Middle English 'tinge', and combined as the compound adjective 'yellow-tinged'.

Initially, components referred to the color 'yellow' and the act of dyeing or coloring; over time the compound came to mean 'slightly or faintly colored yellow' rather than strongly dyed.