What does pigmented mean?
Pigmented means having or containing pigment, a substance that gives material its color. The word is used especially in biology, medicine, and materials science, where it distinguishes a colored substance or tissue from one that is colorless. A person may be described as pigmented, while skin, hair, feathers, or other tissue may be called deeply or heavily pigmented. In these contexts, pigmented generally indicates that color is produced by a pigment within the material rather than by lighting, reflection, or a superficial coating. The term is precise and somewhat technical, but it can also appear in accessible descriptions of natural objects and appearance. It is related to the noun pigment, from Latin pigmentum, meaning a coloring substance or dye.
adjectiveHaving or containing pigment; colored rather than colorless. It is especially used of skin, tissue, hair, or other biological material.
- Having or containing pigment; colored by a pigment.
- Having a naturally dark or conspicuous coloring, especially in relation to skin or biological tissue.
"The photograph highlighted the richly pigmented feathers of the bird."
"Certain frogs are more heavily pigmented in their upper bodies."
"The pathologist examined the pigmented area of the tissue."
Pigmented skin, hair, and feathers owe their color not merely to a surface coating but to biological pigments within their structures.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pigmented come from?
Pigmented derives from pigment, which comes from Latin pigmentum, a coloring substance or dye. The English noun was borrowed in the late Middle English period, originally in the sense of a substance used to impart color. The adjective developed in the modern period from the sense of being colored by or containing a pigment. Related forms include pigmentation and depigmentation, both based on the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How pigmented is actually used
The adjective is formal and technical, though it is also used in general descriptions of skin, hair, feathers, and objects. In medical and biological contexts, it emphasizes the presence of a coloring substance rather than merely the fact that something appears colorful.