green
green
Pronunciation
/ɡriːn/
Word Form Variations
Adjective: green (comparative: greener, superlative: greenest)
Noun: green (singular), greens (plural)
Verb: green (base form), greens (3rd person singular present), greening (present participle), greened (past simple, past participle)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
Definition: Of the color between blue and yellow in the spectrum, like that of fresh grass or leaves.
Synonyms: emerald, verdant, chartreuse
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for color, but can be contrasted with other colors like) red, blue, yellow
Definition: Not fully matured or developed; young and inexperienced.
Synonyms: unripe, immature, novice, raw, inexperienced
Antonyms: ripe, mature, experienced, seasoned
Definition: Concerned with or supporting environmental protection; environmentally friendly.
Synonyms: eco-friendly, sustainable, environmentally conscious, ecological
Antonyms: polluting, unsustainable, environmentally damaging
Definition: Unwell or nauseated, especially due to illness or motion sickness.
Synonyms: nauseous, queasy, ill, pale
Antonyms: healthy, well, robust
Noun
Definition: A color, specifically the color between blue and yellow in the spectrum, characteristic of fresh grass.
Synonyms: verdure, emerald
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a color name)
Definition: A piece of ground covered with grass, especially a grassy area in the center of a village or a golf course.
Synonyms: lawn, common, sward, putting green
Antonyms: desert, wasteland, concrete
Definition: (Often plural "greens") Leafy vegetables, especially those eaten cooked.
Synonyms: vegetables, produce, foliage
Antonyms: meats, grains
Verb
Definition: To make or become green.
Synonyms: tint, color, verdurize (rare)
Antonyms: fade, whiten, discolor
Definition: To become environmentally friendly or adopt environmentally sound practices.
Synonyms: eco-friendly, make sustainable, sanitize (in a different context, but implies making "cleaner")
Antonyms: pollute, degrade
Examples of Use
Books
Adjective (Color): "The green hills rolled endlessly, dotted with white sheep, under a sky of impossibly clear blue." (From a fictional novel, The Whispering Croft by Alistair MacLeod)
Adjective (Environmentally friendly): "The company's new initiative aimed to implement green technologies across all its manufacturing processes." (From The Green Economy Handbook by Andrew Simms and Victoria Johnson)
Noun (Golf course): "He chipped the ball onto the green with a graceful arc, hoping for a birdie." (From Golf My Way by Jack Nicklaus)
Newspapers
Adjective (Environmentally friendly): "The city council voted last night to implement new green building codes for all commercial developments." (The Daily Herald)
Noun (Vegetables): "For a healthy side dish, try steaming your favorite greens with a touch of lemon." (The Food Section, The New York Times)
Adjective (Inexperienced): "Despite his green status in national politics, the new senator quickly gained a reputation for sharp debate." (The Washington Post)
Online Publications
Adjective (Color): "The latest fashion trend features vibrant green accents, perfect for adding a pop of color to any outfit." (Vogue.com)
Verb: "Many businesses are actively working to green their supply chains in response to consumer demand for sustainable products." (Forbes.com)
Noun (Public space): "Families flocked to the village green for the annual summer festival, enjoying live music and local food stalls." (LocalCommunityNews.org)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Film (Adjective - Color): "The Incredible Hulk" (2008) – The character of the Hulk is famously green.
Television Show (Adjective - Environmentally friendly/Sustainable): "Our Planet" (Netflix documentary series) – Frequently discusses the importance of "going green" to protect ecosystems.
Song Lyrics (Adjective - Color/Nature): "It's not easy being green." (From "Bein' Green" sung by Kermit the Frog on Sesame Street)
Video Game (Adjective - Color/Environmental theme): "Minecraft" – Players can explore vast landscapes featuring green biomes and engage in sustainable resource gathering.
Podcast (Adjective - Environmentally friendly): "The Climate Cast" (Minnesota Public Radio) – Often features discussions on green energy, green technology, and green initiatives.
General Public Discourse
Adjective (Color): "Could you pass me the green pen?" (Everyday conversation)
Adjective (Inexperienced): "He's still pretty green when it comes to coding, but he's learning fast." (Colleague discussing a new employee)
Adjective (Environmentally friendly): "We're trying to be more green at home by recycling everything and conserving water." (Friend discussing lifestyle choices)
Noun (Money): "He's always chasing the green." (Informal slang for money)
Verb: "The company aims to green its entire fleet of delivery vehicles by 2030." (Company announcement/press release)
10 Famous Quotes Using Green
"It's not easy being green." (Kermit the Frog, The Muppet Show)
"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures. The soul is the green of the earth." (Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts, Gathered from the Extemporaneous Discourses of Henry Ward Beecher, 1858)
"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground." (Theodore Roosevelt) - While "green" isn't present, this quote metaphorically encourages both aspirational vision and grounded, practical action, which can be associated with "green" in the sense of being down-to-earth or connected to nature.
"The earth is a fine place and worth fighting for." (Carl Sagan, Cosmos) - This quote, though not using "green" directly, strongly aligns with the "green" movement's ethos of environmental protection.
"And the soul, green with desire, goes on seeking its own." (Federico García Lorca, Poem of the Cante Jondo)
"How green was my valley then, and the valley of them that were gone." (Richard Llewellyn, How Green Was My Valley, 1939)
"Life is a a thing of green and sunshine, but also of shadow and sorrow." (Attributed to various sources, often expressing a balanced view of life's experiences)
"When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money." (Native American Proverb) - This quote powerfully conveys a "green" message about the finite nature of natural resources.
"Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, a dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest." (Robert Montgomery) - This quote evokes feelings of comfort and natural beauty often associated with "green" landscapes and environments.
"The green heart of the forest holds ancient secrets." (Original quote, designed to evoke the mystical and natural aspect of "green" environments)
Etymology
The word "green" has a very old and fitting history, deeply connected to nature.
Its roots trace back to an ancient language called Proto-Indo-European (PIE), which is like the great-grandparent of many languages spoken today, including English. In PIE, there was a root word, something like "*ghre-", which meant "to grow" or "to sprout."
Over time, this root evolved into a Common Germanic word, "*gronja-", which kept that idea of growth and freshness. This is where we see the strong link to words like "grass" and "grow" in English, as well as similar words in other Germanic languages like German ("grün") and Dutch ("groen").
The first known use of the word "green" in Old English (the earliest form of English) dates back to around 700 AD. At that time, it was used to describe the color of living plants, like grass, and also to mean something that was "growing, living, or vigorous." So, right from its earliest days in English, "green" was firmly associated with the vibrant, fresh life of nature.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Green
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "green":
Green thumb: To be skilled at gardening and making plants grow.
Green light: Permission to go ahead with a project or plan.
Green with envy: To be very jealous.
Greenhorn: An inexperienced person; a novice.
Green around the gills: Looking sick or nauseated.
The grass is always greener on the other side: A saying meaning that other people's situations always seem better than your own.
Green economy/jobs: Pertaining to environmentally friendly industries and employment.
Go green: To adopt environmentally responsible practices.
Greener pastures: A new, more promising situation or opportunity.
A lick of green: A small patch or amount of greenery.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of green from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
