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.
The buyer, a U.K. citizen married to a U.S. citizen, was set to receive a green card but hadn’t had it long enough to meet the SBA’s new six-month lookback requirement for lawful permanent residents. Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025 But perhaps more damaging has been his administration’s assault on critics—especially foreign students and even green card holders—that has cast a pall over climate activism in the world’s top economy, not least since Trump once again withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. Charlie Campbell, Time, 16 May 2025 The form is used to verify identity and authorization to work in the United States, and must be supported by documents such as a passport, a work visa or a green card. Julia Moskin, New York Times, 15 May 2025 The immigrant involved was granted a green card by a judge, and the government failed to appeal within the standard 30-day window. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 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 28 May. 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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