Green
/ɡriːn/
Definitions
5 meaningsHaving the color between blue and yellow in the spectrum; the color of growing grass or leaves.
/ɡriːn/
Having the color of grass or emeralds.
The grass is green.
💡 Simply: Green is the color of grass, trees, and many other plants. It's like when you see a fresh, healthy field!
👶 For kids: Green is the color of grass and leaves!
More Examples
She wore a green dress.
The green apples tasted sour.
How It's Used
"The leaves of the trees are green."
"The environmental group promotes green energy."
The color green; a green object or substance.
/ɡriːn/
She painted the wall green.
💡 Simply: The word 'green' can be the color itself, like the green on a traffic light, or it could mean something that's green, like the green leaves of a tree.
👶 For kids: Green is the color! It's also something that IS green, like a leaf.
More Examples
The team's colors were green and white.
He was wearing a lot of green, like a green shirt and green trousers.
How It's Used
"The artist used a lot of green in the landscape."
"The movement aims to protect the greens."
To make or become green; to give a green color to something or become green in color.
/ɡriːn/
To make or become green.
The grass greened up after the rain.
💡 Simply: If something greens, it's becoming green, like a plant leaf sprouting.
👶 For kids: If something greens, it's becoming green!
More Examples
The artist greened the landscape.
The trees green in the Spring.
How It's Used
"The leaves greened in spring."
Relating to or supporting environmentalism; concerned with protecting the environment.
/ɡriːn/
Relating to environmentalism and conservation.
The company has a green initiative.
💡 Simply: If something is green, it's good for the environment! Things like using solar energy or recycling are 'green' things to do.
👶 For kids: If something is green, it means it is good for nature and helps the earth!
More Examples
They practice green living by reducing waste.
She supports the green movement.
How It's Used
"They are a green company."
"She's a green politician."
Inexperienced or naive; lacking training or knowledge.
/ɡriːn/
Inexperienced or naive
The new recruits are still very green.
💡 Simply: If someone is 'green' at something, it means they're new and don't know much about it. Like when you first start a new game or sport.
👶 For kids: When you're new at something and still learning, you can be green!
More Examples
He's green when it comes to technology.
She was green at her new job.
How It's Used
"He's still green in his new role."
Idioms & expressions
green with envy
Extremely envious.
"She was green with envy when she saw their diamond ring."
give the green light
To give permission or approval to proceed with something.
"The boss gave the green light to the project."
the grass is always greener on the other side
A proverb that implies that people always think other people have it better than they do.
"He keeps complaining about his job, but I think he's just experiencing the 'grass is always greener' phenomenon."
From Old English grēne, related to words for grass and growing. Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *grōnijaz, meaning 'growing'.
The color green has been used to symbolize nature, growth, and youth since ancient times. It also has associations with envy and in the Middle Ages, green was sometimes associated with negative concepts such as decay or illness.
Memory tip
Think of lush, vibrant grass or the emerald gem – both are green!
Word Origin
"growing, green"