green card

noun

: an identity card attesting the permanent resident status of an alien in the U.S.

green-carder

ˈgrēn-ˈkär-dər 

noun

Examples of green card in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One man in Los Angeles wanted to apply for a green card and paid $6,000 to someone posing as a lawyer in June. — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026

Abdullah Haji Zada, who was also a green card-holder like his mother, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 30 July 2026

His administration has increased scrutiny of legal immigration, revoking student visas and green cards of university students over their ideological views and stripping legal status from hundreds of thousands of migrants. — Doina Chiacu, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Censorship occurs when the government tries to revoke the green cards of people whose views its biggest donors would prefer not to hear. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

from the fact that it was formerly colored green

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for green card

• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard
• courtyard
• debarred
• diehard

Legal Definition

green card

noun

: an identity card attesting the permanent resident status of an alien in the U.S.

Etymology

from the fact that it was formerly colored green