red-faced

The compound adjective 'red-faced' is a transparent formation from two native English elements. The first element, 'red', descends from the Proto-Germanic raudaz, a primary color term. The second, 'face', entered English via Old French from the Latin facies, originally meaning 'form' or 'appearance'. The suffix '-ed' is added to the noun 'face' to create a participial adjective meaning 'having a face (of a specified kind)'. The literal meaning, 'having a red-colored face', has been in use since at least the 16th century. Its primary modern abstract meaning, 'embarrassed or ashamed', is a metaphorical extension based on the physiological reaction of facial blushing, a universal signal of self-conscious emotion.

Structure: red (color) + face (front of head) + ed (adjective suffix) - red: From Old English rēad, of Germanic origin, related to Dutch rood and German rot. Functions as an adjective describing a color. - face: From Old French face, based on Latin facies 'form, appearance, face'. Functions as a noun, the front part of the head. - ed: A suffix forming adjectives from nouns, as in talented or winged. Of Old English origin.