verdant

adjective

ver·​dant ˈvər-dᵊnt 

1

a

: green in tint or color

b

: green with growing plants

verdant fields

2

: unripe in experience or judgment : green sense 5a

verdancy

ˈvər-dᵊn(t)-sē 

noun

verdantly

ˈvər-dᵊnt-lē 

adverb

Did you know?

English speakers have been using verdant as a ripe synonym of green since at least the 16th century, and as a descriptive term for inexperienced or naïve people since the 19th century. (By contrast, the more experienced green has colored our language since well before the 12th century, and was first applied to inexperienced people in the 16th century.) Verdant comes from the Old French word for "green," vert, which itself is from Latin virēre, meaning "to show green growth" or "to be green." Today, vert is used in English as a word for green forest vegetation and the heraldic color green. A related word is virescent, meaning "beginning to be green."

Synonyms

• lush
• green
• grown
• leafy
• dense

Examples of verdant in a Sentence

a beautiful, verdant field

Recent Examples on the Web

Stores like Target, Walmart, and Amazon are replete with an eclectic array of builds from seasonally appropriate critters to gorgeous botanicals that act as verdant home décor. —Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025

Open blue skies and verdant valley landscapes provide the backdrop for the house’s front yard entrance, where a curvy pathway leads to the nearly 4,600-square-foot structure. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2025

Surrounded by rocky limestone cliffs, verdant rainforests and the emerald Andaman Sea, the world’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve is a secluded, 54-room temple to contemporary Thai design that is as beautiful as its backdrop. —Jennifer Kester, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

And the set, a collaboration between interior designer Madelynn Hudson and florist Rana Kim, will transport guests from TriBeCa to the verdant Highlands mountains. —Ari Stark, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

contracted from Middle French verdoyant, from present participle of verdoyer "to be green, turn green," going back to Old French verdoier, from verd, vert "green" (going back to Latin viridis, from a base *wir-, whence virēre "to show green growth, be green" of uncertain origin) + -oier, factitive verb suffix, going back to Latin -idiāre, originally representing variant pronunciation (or spelling variant) of -izāre -ize

Note: Latin viridis and virēre have been linked to Lithuanian visti "to multiply, breed," veisti "to breed, rear," as well as to Old English wīse "sprout, stalk," Old High German wisa "meadow," though the semantic connections are vague enough to make this a very tenuous hypothesis.

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

verdant

adjective

ver·​dant ˈvərd-ᵊnt 

: green with growing plants

verdant fields

verdantly adverb