verfärbt

Verfärbt is the past participle of the German verb verfärben and functions as an adjective meaning discolored or stained. The word is formed with the prefix ver- and the verb färben (to color), and it is used to describe a change in color that has already occurred.

In everyday language, verfärbt describes surfaces or objects whose original color has changed. The cause may be chemical, physical, or environmental: oxidation, corrosion, exposure to light or moisture, heat, contamination by dyes or pigments, or aging. For example, a metal surface can become verfärbt through rust, textiles may become verfärbt after washing with incompatible dyes, and paper can turn yellow or brown with time. In medicine, Verfärbung is used to refer to skin or tissue color changes, such as rötliche, gelbliche, or bluish tints, which can indicate health conditions.

In scientific and technical contexts, verfärbt can indicate both unwanted changes and intentional coloring. In materials science and chemistry, Verfärbung can signal reactions or impurities; in art and photography, color changes may reflect aging, storage conditions, or processing effects. The related noun Verfärbung denotes the actual phenomenon of color change, while the verb verfärben denotes the process of causing such a change. The related antonym unverfärbt describes something that has not changed color.