green card

noun

: an identity card attesting the permanent resident status of an alien in the U.S.
green-carder noun

Examples of green card in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But workers with work permits and green cards worry they too could be detained. Scott Neuman, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025 Katie and Ali are deeply committed to each other by all accounts, but they’re not getting married to secure Ali a green card. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2025 The couple have begun the process of applying for a green card. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025 It’s recommended to make copies of passport ID’s, green cards, I-94 work authorization forms, birth certificates for themselves and their children and any other relevant forms that could be useful to an immigration attorney, Velasquez said. Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for green card

Word History

Etymology

from the fact that it was formerly colored green

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of green card was in 1956

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Green card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/green%20card. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on green card

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