greenly

adverb

green·​ly

usually -er/-est

1

a

: with a green color

the … stream rushing between white crusts of frozen foam and washing greenly against ice-crowned boulders

—Stephen Graham

b

: with green vegetation : verdantly

the earth broke greenly into spring

—Millen Brand

2

: in an inexperienced manner : clumsily

we have done but greenly in hugger-mugger to inter him

—Shakespeare

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Rhymes for greenly

• cleanly
• keenly
• meanly
• queenly
• routinely