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 naive 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 traces back to the Old French word for “green,” vert, which itself is from the Latin word viridis. Some lesser-known words for shades of green in English include prasine (“having the green color of a leek”), smaragdine (“yellowish green in color like an emerald”), and another viridis descendent, viridescent (“slightly green”).

Synonyms of verdant

• lush
• green
• grown
• leafy
• dense

Examples of verdant in a Sentence

a beautiful, verdant field

Recent Examples on the Web

Yiaga sits amongst verdant greenery, nestled in the 64-acre historic Fitzroy Gardens and found within a former pavilion café elegantly reenvisioned by architect John Wardle. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

For example, in the current spring menu, a verdant green spring pea vellutata stands on its own with watercress, a toast crisp, Marcona almonds and a lemon ricotta. —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026

The verdant burst is always welcome after a dreary winter, and the bright, fresh flavors of spring vegetables are like a breath of fresh air on the table, too. —Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2026

The boxy, low-rise office overlooks a verdant wetland frequented by otters and egrets. —Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

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

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Kids Definition

verdant

adjective

ver·​dant ˈvərd-ᵊnt 

: green with growing plants

verdant fields

verdantly adverb