painted

Painted is the past participle of the verb paint and functions as both a verb form and an adjective in English. As a verb, it appears in constructions such as "the walls were painted" or "she painted a portrait." As an adjective, painted describes objects or surfaces that have had paint applied or that bear a painted design, for example painted walls, a painted door, or painted furniture.

Etymology and scope: The word derives from paint, which comes from Old French peindre and ultimately Latin pingere. Painted is used across many media and practices, including decorative art, fine art, and applied crafts.

Common applications: In fine art, painted refers to artworks created with pigments on surfaces such as canvas, panel, or paper. In everyday contexts, it describes objects coated with paint for protection, color, or ornament, including houses, vehicles, signs, and furniture. The phrase painted face or painted makeup describes cosmetic application on the skin, though this usage carries cultural and stylistic connotations.

Finish and media: Paints can be oil-based, acrylic, watercolor, latex, enamel, or lacquer, among others. The word painted does not specify the medium, only the result of applying pigment to a surface. Across history, painted works and painted objects have played roles in storytelling, function, and identity.

See also: painting, paint, pigment, fresco, mural.