The compound adjective "white-skinned" is a transparent descriptive formation from two native English elements. "White" descends from the Proto-Germanic \hwītaz, which itself derives from the Proto-Indo-European root \ḱweyt- meaning "to shine; bright". "Skin" entered English from Old Norse skinn, meaning an animal hide or pelt, which replaced the native Old English word hyd (hide) for human skin. The suffix -ed is used to form adjectives from nouns, indicating possession of a quality. The literal combination, "having skin that is white/bright", directly describes a physical complexion, with the modern abstract meaning focused solely on pigmentation rather than luminosity.

Structure: white (color) + skinned (having skin) - white: From Old English hwīt, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wit and German weiss. Functions as an adjective describing a color. - skinned: From Old Norse skinn (skin, hide) + the English past participial suffix -ed, forming an adjective meaning "having (a specified type of) skin".