yellowed

This term carries a strong connotation of antiquity, neglect, or the inevitable passage of time. It evokes a sensory image of brittleness and fragility, often associated with archival materials like parchment, old books, or vintage photographs. It suggests a loss of original purity or freshness. While yellow is a bright, cheerful color, yellowed is almost always used to describe a negative or degenerative process. It differs from simply being yellow by implying a transition from a previously white or pale state to a stained or aged one, signaling decay rather than a primary pigment.