green

1 of 3

adjective

1
: of the color green
2
a
: covered by green growth or foliage
green fields
b
: consisting of green plants and usually edible herbage
a green salad
c
of winter : mild, clement
3
a
: envious sense 1
used especially in the phrase green with envy
b
: marked by a pale, sickly, or nauseated appearance
4
: not ripened or matured
green peaches
5
a
: deficient in training, knowledge, or experience
green recruits
b
: deficient in sophistication and savoir faire : naive
was green and credulous
c
: not fully qualified for or experienced in a particular function
6
7
: fresh, new
8
a
often capitalized : relating to or being an environmentalist political movement
b
: concerned with or supporting environmentalism
green consumers who practice recycling
c
: tending to preserve environmental quality (as by being recyclable, biodegradable, or nonpolluting)
greener energy solutions
9
: pleasantly alluring
10
a
: not fully processed or treated: such as
(1)
: freshly sawed
green lumber
(2)
: not aged
green liquor
(3)
: not dressed or tanned
green hides
b
: not in condition for a particular use
greenish adjective
greenishness noun
greenly adverb
greenness noun

green

2 of 3

noun

plural greens
1
: a color whose hue is somewhat less yellow than that of growing fresh grass or of the emerald or is that of the part of the spectrum lying between blue and yellow
2
: something of a green color
3
: green vegetation: such as
a greens plural
(1)
: leafy herbs (such as spinach, dandelions, or Swiss chard) that are cooked as a vegetable
b
greens plural : leafy parts of plants for use as decoration
4
: an area consisting of or resembling grass: such as
a
: a usually grassy park or common in the center of a town or village
Mashpee, Massachusetts has a new town green, complete with bandstand.Alan D. Haas
5
informal : money
especially : U.S. paper money : greenbacks
6
or Green : environmentalist
especially : a member of an activist political party focusing on environmental and social issues
7
physics : one of the three colors (see color entry 1 sense 15) that quarks have in the theory of quantum chromodynamics
Whereas there is just one kind of electric charge, however, there are three kinds of color charge, usually called red, blue and green. (The names, of course, have nothing to do with colors in the everyday sense.)Elliott D. Bloom and Gary J. Feldman
greeny adjective

green

3 of 3

verb

greened; greening; greens

intransitive verb

: to become green
Phrases
green around the gills
: pale or sickly in appearance

Examples of green in a Sentence

Adjective fields green with meadow grass a new pitcher who's pretty green, even by rookie standards Noun a mixture of blues and greens The town green was the center of activity. It took him four shots to get to the green.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Available in two designs—pink and pale green or blue and gray—both with a bright yellow handle, this case has a wide ridge around the edges for easy gripping. Tanya Edwards, Parents, 13 Mar. 2024 In 1987, Jeff Sluman – locked in a sudden-death playoff with American compatriot Sandy Lyle – stood over a putt on the island green knowing a conversion from inside six feet would seal him his first PGA Tour title and $182,000. Jack Bantock, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 In a brief prologue, a 12-year-old girl (Riley Elise Fincher-Foster) stumbles upon a bottle of pills in the greenest of fields. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 Available in sizes 12 through 32, this dress comes in a bright Kelly green hue or a funky botanical print and features button detailing all the way down the bodice to the skirt. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Markets dipped slightly into the red shortly after Tuesday’s open, before flashing green and posting solid gains by the end of the day. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Outside was a similar set up with cafe chairs and park benches overlooking a green lawn. Allyson Portee, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 The image showed a live broadcast from Los Angeles’ KTLA with two newborns lying in their bassinets, each donning a green frog beanie. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 As days warm up and winter gives way to sunshine and blooming flowers, bunches of vibrant green stalks pop up at farmers' stands and grocery stores. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
The bright side, as the NIFC report notes, is that areas could see an early green up, when grasses return after the winter, and lead to a fire season ending earlier. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024 Everywhere Belt Bag in Coral Kiss Add a pop of color to any outfit by grabbing a hands-free belt bag in bright coral pink or paradise green, or pull inspiration from celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Oprah by adding a neutral crossbody bag to your collection. Averi Baudler, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 Dye, who had planned only for a small lake guarding the green, was left to ponder what to do with a now-cavernous pit surrounding the hole. Jack Bantock, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 Things to do:Start planning your Indianapolis St. Patrick's Day with parades, parties, pub crawls and more Who is dyeing Indy’s canal green? Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Mar. 2024 The one-size cover-up comes in five vacation-ready shades, from classic black to a tropical green. Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024 The resulting masses of textured greens have weight and press forward, sometimes nearly filling the entire surface. Roberta Smith, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Forgetting about the greens on a low back burner only deepens their tenderness and flavor. Kendra Vaculin, Bon Appétit, 17 Feb. 2024 The grounds crew must love it, many fewer divots and pesky ball marks to fix on the greens. Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2024
Verb
An aerial shot of the Cesar E. Chavez campus in Oakland, California, greened up by the Trust for Public Land. Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024 Nielsen-Gammon said the heat struck early in the season and before vegetation could green up and become less likely to burn. Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 To determine whether greening our electricity and transport will help shift some of the undue burden, a team of researchers based in San Diego did two analyses focused on PM 2.5 exposure. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 21 June 2023 Joey Logano, three-time Vegas winner, snags another pole For the second time in three races, Joey Logano will lead the NASCAR Cup Series field to green. Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2024 Photograph: Rebecca Friedland/Trust for Public Land Even more locally, the nonprofit Trust for Public Land has been greening up alleys in LA with tree-planting projects. Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024 Opt For Battery-free Toys Parents can also green their gift-giving traditions is by selecting toys that do not require the use of batteries. Mia Taylor, Parents, 14 Feb. 2024 What if one parent has brown eyes and the other has green, yet a child has blue eyes? Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2023 The region is greening, for instance, as higher temperatures allow plant species to spread north. Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'green.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Noun, and Verb

Middle English grene, from Old English grēne; akin to Old English grōwan to grow

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of green was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near green

Cite this Entry

“Green.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/green. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

green

1 of 2 adjective
1
: of the color green
2
a
: covered by green leaves or herbs
b
: consisting of green plants or of the leafy part of a plant
a green salad
3
: not fully grown or ripe
4
a
: marked by a sickly appearance
b
: envious
used especially in the phrase green with envy
5
: lacking training, knowledge, or experience
green troops
6
a
: concerned with or supporting environmentalism
b
: tending to preserve the quality of the environment
green dish soap
greenish adjective
greenly
ˈgrēn-lē
adverb
greenness noun

green

2 of 2 noun
1
: a color (as that of fresh grass) that ranges between blue and yellow
2
a
: green vegetation
b
plural : leafy parts of plants used for some purpose (as ornament or food)
3
: a grassy plain or plot
especially : a smooth grassy area at the end of a golf fairway containing the hole
4
5
often capitalized : environmentalist
especially : a member of a political party focusing on environmental and social issues
greeny
ˈgrē-nē
adjective

Medical Definition

green

1 of 2 adjective
1
: of the color green
2
of a wound : being recently incurred and unhealed
3
: marked by a pale, sickly, or nauseated appearance
4
of hemolytic streptococci : tending to produce green pigment when cultured on blood media

green

2 of 2 noun
1
: a color whose hue is somewhat less yellow than that of growing fresh grass or of the emerald or is that of the part of the spectrum lying between blue and yellow
2
: a pigment or dye that colors green see janus green

Geographical Definition

Green

geographical name

1
river 730 miles (1175 kilometers) long in the western U.S. flowing from the Wind River Range in western Wyoming south into the Colorado River in southeastern Utah
2
city in northeastern Ohio south of Akron population 22,817

Biographical Definition

Green 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

Julien or Julian 1900–1998 French novelist

Green

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

William 1873–1952 American labor leader

More from Merriam-Webster on green

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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