Made very light in color or whitened, often by exposure to sunlight or chemical treatment.
From Old English 'blæcan' meaning to whiten. The word evolved through Middle English and gained its modern form by the 16th century, originally describing the natural whitening effect of sun exposure on fabrics.
Before chemical bleach was invented, people would spread wet clothes on grass in the sun to naturally bleach them white—a process that could take weeks! This is actually how the word 'bleachers' got its name, since those outdoor seating areas were originally just grass where spectators sat.
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