Definition of VERDANT

Other Words from verdant

verdancy \ ˈvər-dᵊn(t)-sē

\ noun

verdantly \ ˈvər-dᵊnt-lē

\ adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for verdant

Synonyms

Antonyms

Did You Know?

English speakers have been using "verdant" as a ripe synonym of "green" since the late 16th century, and as a descriptive term for inexperienced or naive people since the 1820s. (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 1540s.) "Verdant" is derived from the Old French word for "green," vert, which in turn is from Latin virērē, meaning "to be green." Today, "vert" is used in English as a word for green forest vegetation and the heraldic color green. Another descendant of "virere" is the adjective virescent, meaning "beginning to be green."

Examples of verdant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Colorado is all this and so much more, like hiking a trail surrounded by trees of verdant green. — Discover Magazine, "Be In the Moments, In the Mountains, Together," 22 June 2018 His specialty, obviously, is Tullamore D.E.W., which is not named for the verdant Irish countryside but for the original owner’s initials. — Kathy Flanigan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Green-beer-free-zone: Pairing Irish whiskey and a pint of local brew for St. Patrick's Day," 28 Feb. 2018 Lighten up a heavy holiday meal with this verdant side dish of green beans tossed in almond-garlic oil. — Woman's Day, "Green Beans with Toasted Garlic and Almonds," 19 Nov. 2012 The school educates nearly 500 young men in the Jesuit tradition on a verdant, 93-acre campus in an affluent stretch of suburban Montgomery County north of the District. — Moriah Balingit, Washington Post, "With Brett Kavanaugh, Georgetown Prep can count two Supreme Court nominees among its alumni," 10 July 2018 Not Watering Them Enough The Chihuahuan Desert gets a little over 9 inches of rain annually—a drop in the bucket compared to what the verdant landscapes most of us call home receive. — Molly Marquand, Good Housekeeping, "5 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Succulents (And How To Grow 'Em Right)," 9 Feb. 2017 In a surprise turn of events, Grande walks across a thin copper wire over a field, holding onto large balloons that seemingly help her defy gravity and float like a gymnast over the verdant scene. — Connor Whittum, Billboard, "Ariana Grande's Epic 'God Is a Woman' Video, Decoded," 13 July 2018 Take an artful break from Michigan Avenue On the south end of the Art Institute — arguably one of the most crowded tourist destinations in the city — is a verdant oasis perfect for sneaking away from the hustle and bustle of Michigan Avenue. — chicagotribune.com, "Secret Chicago: 40 of the city's best-kept mystery spots," 1 May 2018 In his native Italy, garden designer Luciano Giubbilei has created a verdant oasis that grows under the Tuscan sun. — Andrew Montgomery, Vogue, "Under the Tuscan Sun: Garden Designer Luciano Giubbilei's Italian Oasis," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'verdant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for verdant

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.

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