The compound adjective 'white-haired' is a transparent formation from two native English words. 'White' originates from the Proto-Germanic 'hwītaz', describing a bright, light colour. 'Hair' stems from Proto-Germanic 'khēran', referring to the growth covering the body. The suffix '-ed', used to form participial and adjectival forms, attaches to the noun 'hair' to create a descriptive term. The literal meaning, "having hair that is white," directly reflects its components, primarily used to describe the physical appearance associated with aging or natural hair colour.

Structure: white (colour) + hair (body part) + ed (adjective suffix) - white: From Old English 'hwīt', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'wit' and German 'weiss'. Denotes the colour. - hair: From Old English 'hǣr', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'haar' and German 'Haar'. Denotes the filamentous biomaterial. - ed: A suffix forming adjectives from nouns, indicating possession or characteristics, from Old English '-ede', '-ode', '-ad'.