Word forms: plural greens, comparative greener, superlative greenest
1. colour
Green is the colour of grass or leaves.
...shiny red and green apples.
Yellow and green together make a pale green.
2. adjective
A place that is green is covered with grass, plants, and trees and not with houses or factories.
Cairo has only thirteen square centimetres of green space for each inhabitant.
Synonyms: verdant [literary], leafy, grassy, verdurous More Synonyms of green
greennessuncountable noun
...the lush greenness of the river valleys.
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Green issues and political movements relate to or are concerned with the protection of the environment.
The power of the Green movement in Germany has made that country a leader in thedrive to recycle more waste materials.
4. adjective
If you say that someone or something is green, you mean they harm the environment as little as possible.
...trying to persuade governments to adopt greener policies.
Our children are being educated to be green in everything they do.
Synonyms: ecological, conservationist, environment-friendly, ecologically sound More Synonyms of green
greennessuncountable noun
A Swiss company offers to help environmental investors by sending teams round factoriesto ascertain their greenness.
5. countable noun [usually plural]
Greens are members of green political movements.
The Greens won a seat.
6. countable noun
A green is a smooth, flat area of grass around a hole on a golf course.
...the 18th green.
7. countable noun
A green is an area of land covered with grass, especially in a town or in the middle of a village.
...the village green.
8. countable noun [noun NOUN]
Green is used in the names of places that contain or used to contain an area of grass.
...Bethnal Green.
9. plural noun
You can refer to the cooked leaves of vegetables such as spinach or cabbage as greens.
Eat your greens.
10. graded adjective
You can describe fruit and vegetables as green when they are unripe and not ready to be eaten.
Pick and ripen any green fruits in a warm dark place.
Synonyms: unripe, fresh, raw, immature More Synonyms of green
11. adjective
If you say that someone is green, you mean that they have had very little experience of life or a particular job.
He was a young lad, very green, very immature.
Synonyms: inexperienced, new, innocent, raw More Synonyms of green
12.
See green with envy
13.
See to have green fingers
14. to give someone the green light
More Synonyms of green
green in British English
(ɡriːn)
noun
1.
any of a group of colours, such as that of fresh grass, that lie between yellow and blue in the visible spectrum in the wavelength range 575–500 nanometres. Green is the complementary colour of magenta and with red and blue forms a set of primary colours
▶ Related adjective: verdant
2.
a dye or pigment of or producing these colours
3.
something of the colour green
4.
a small area of grassland, esp in the centre of a village
5.
an area of ground used for a purpose
a putting green
6. (plural)
a.
the edible leaves and stems of certain plants, eaten as a vegetable
b.
freshly cut branches of ornamental trees, shrubs, etc, used as a decoration
7. (sometimes capital)
a person, esp a politician, who supports environmentalist issues (see sense 13)
8. slang
money
9. slang
marijuana of low quality
10. (plural) vulgar, slang
sexual intercourse
adjective
11.
of the colour green
12.
greenish in colour or having parts or marks that are greenish
a green monkey
13. (sometimes capital)
concerned with or relating to conservation of the world's natural resources and improvement of the environment
green policies
the green consumer
14.
vigorous; not faded
a green old age
15.
envious or jealous
16.
immature, unsophisticated, or gullible
17.
characterized by foliage or green plants
a green wood
a green salad
18.
fresh, raw, or unripe
green bananas
19.
unhealthily pale in appearance
he was green after his boat trip
20.
denoting a unit of account that is adjusted in accordance with fluctuations between the currencies of the EU nations and is used to make payments to agriculturalproducers within the EU
green pound
21.
(of pottery) not fired
22.
(of meat) not smoked or cured; unprocessed
green bacon
23. metallurgy
(of a product, such as a sand mould or cermet) compacted but not yet fired; ready for firing
24.
(of timber) freshly felled; not dried or seasoned
25.
(of concrete) not having matured to design strength
verb
26.
to make or become green
Derived forms
greenish (ˈgreenish)
adjective
greenly (ˈgreenly)
adverb
greenness (ˈgreenness)
noun
greeny (ˈgreeny)
adjective
Word origin
Old English grēne; related to Old High German gruoni; see grow
Green in British English
(ɡriːn)
noun
1.
Henry, real name Henry Vincent Yorke. 1905–73, British novelist: author of Living (1929), Loving (1945), and Back (1946)
2.
John Richard. 1837–83, British historian; author of A Short History of the English People (1874)
3.
T(homas) H(ill). 1836–82, British idealist philosopher. His chief work, Prolegomena to Ethics, was unfinished at his death
Green in American English1
(grin)
1.
Henry(pseud. of Henry Vincent Yorke) 1905-73; Eng. novelist
2.
John Richard1837-83; Eng. historian
3.
Paul (Eliot)1894-1981; U.S. playwright
4.
William1873-1952; U.S. labor leader
Green in American English2
(grin)
river flowing from W Wyo. south into the Colorado River in SE Utah: 730 mi (1,175 km)
green in American English
(grin)
adjective
1.
of the color that is characteristic of growing grass
2.
a.
overspread with or characterized by green plants or foliage
a green field
b.
made of green-leaved vegetables
green salad
3.
keeping the green grass of summer; without snow; mild
a green December
4.
sickly or bilious, as from illness, fear, etc.
5.
a.
flourishing; active
to keep someone's memory green
b.
of the time of one's youth
the green years
6.
not mature; unripe
green bananas
7.
not trained; inexperienced
8.
easily led or deceived; simple; naive
9.
not dried, seasoned, or cured; unprocessed
green lumber
10.
fresh; new
11.
a. [oftenG-]
of, relating to, or advocating ecological awareness, the preservation of natural resources, etc.
green politics
b. [usuallyG-]
designating or of a political party or movement having these goals
12. Informal
jealous
noun
13.
the color of growing grass; any color between blue and yellow in the spectrum: greencan be produced by blending blue and yellow pigments
14.
any green pigment or dye
15.
anything colored green, as clothing
16. [pl.]
green leaves, branches, etc., used for ornamentation
17. [pl.]
green leafy plants or vegetables eaten cooked or raw, as spinach, lettuce, etc.
18.
an area of smooth turf set aside for special purposes
a village green
19. [usuallyG-]
an environmentalist; specif., a member of an environmentalist political party
20. US, Slang
money, esp. paper money
chiefly in long green and folding green
21. Golf
the plot of carefully tended turf immediately surrounding each of the holes to facilitate putting
verb transitive, verb intransitive
22.
to make or become green
Idioms:
green with envy
Derived forms
greenish (ˈgreenish)
adjective
greenishness (ˈgreenishness)
noun
greenly (ˈgreenly)
adverb
greenness (ˈgreenness)
noun
Word origin
ME grene < OE, akin to Ger grün, Du groen: for IE base see grow; (sense 12) see green-eyed
More idioms containing
green
green with envy
green as grass
green around the gills
have green fingers
be given the green light
the rub of the green
have a green thumb
Examples of 'green' in a sentence
green
Light and fresh with hints of moreish green apple and pale peppers.
The Sun (2016)
That is why in certain circumstances we have endorsed building on green belt land near cities.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Serve the chops with boiled potatoes and green beans.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We know that green spaces promote wellbeing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The gills are white and the cap is usually a pale green colour.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The new growth is bright green compared with the old dark green growth.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Also available in green, blue and white.
The Sun (2016)
That's another reason why fellow golfers are green with envy.
The Sun (2016)
I have had two green cars, both of which were soon covered in dents.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This bean stew is tasty enough to enjoy on its own or with fresh green beans.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We cannot face one more cup of green tea or choke down any more oily fish.
The Sun (2012)
Probably the trickiest green on the course.
The Sun (2009)
Nobody thought that green people could say anything worth listening to.
Goshgarian, Gary Exploring language (6th edn) (1995)
It was straight from the village green.
The Sun (2013)
Many growers produced few or none of the pale green olives.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
How to square the green belt circle?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Suddenly they spotted a group of blue and green lights piercing through the fog.
The Sun (2008)
These will soon become little green whisks.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Most homes could take some simple steps to make them greener.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The green and red panel lamps came alight.
Len Deighton Bomber
You can be green with envy or blue with sadness.
Christianity Today (2000)
It felt like being on a boat on a dark green ocean.
Joanna Blythman SHOPPED: The Shocking Power of British Supermarkets (2004)
Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with green beans.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Pick the green tops off the tomatoes.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Or they might put green dye in his laundry.
The Sun (2013)
Then they went to the chipping green and he holed two of his first three attempts.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There was no mention of the land being green belt.
The Sun (2011)
So you can cut the amount of tax by driving a greener car.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The uranium gives it a yellow or green colour and makes it glow under ultraviolet light.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Young staff also want offices with green space.
The Sun (2013)
All of them inflamed with the force that through the green fuse drives the flower.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This combination of food is very good with spinach or British green beans.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Also avoid using green ones - especially as baked potatoes.
The Sun (2016)
In other languages
green
British English: green /ɡriːn/ ADJECTIVE
in colour Something that is green is the colour of grass or leaves.
...shiny red and green apples.
American English: green color
Arabic: أَخْضَر
Brazilian Portuguese: verde
Chinese: 绿色的
Croatian: zelen
Czech: zelený
Danish: grøn farve
Dutch: groen
European Spanish: verde color
Finnish: vihreä
French: vert
German: grün
Greek: πράσινος
Italian: verde
Japanese: 緑色の
Korean: 녹색의
Norwegian: grønn
Polish: zielony
European Portuguese: verde
Romanian: verde
Russian: зеленый
Latin American Spanish: verde color
Swedish: grön
Thai: สีเขียว
Turkish: yeşil
Ukrainian: зелений
Vietnamese: xanh lá cây
British English: green /ɡriːn/ ADJECTIVE
inexperienced If you say that someone is green, you mean that they have had very little experience of life or a particular job.
He was a young lad, very green, very immature.
American English: green inexperienced
Arabic: قَلِيلُ الـخِبْرَة
Brazilian Portuguese: novato
Chinese: 无经验的
Croatian: neiskusan
Czech: nezkušený
Danish: grøn uerfaren
Dutch: groen onervaren
European Spanish: verde inmaduro
Finnish: kokematon
French: bleu nouveau
German: unerfahren
Greek: άπειρος
Italian: inesperto
Japanese: 未熟な 経験不足
Korean: 미숙한
Norwegian: grønn
Polish: zielony
European Portuguese: novato
Romanian: necopt
Russian: неопытный
Latin American Spanish: verde inexperto
Swedish: oerfaren
Thai: คนอ่อนหัด
Turkish: acemi
Ukrainian: замолодий
Vietnamese: thiếu kinh nghiệm
British English: green NOUN
A green is a smooth, flat area of grass around a hole on a golf course.
...the 18th green.
American English: green
Brazilian Portuguese: área em volta de um buraco de golfe
Chinese: 果岭高尔夫球场中靠近球洞的平整区域
European Spanish: green
French: vert
German: Grün
Italian: green
Japanese: グリーン
Korean: 홀 주변의 잔디를 짧게 자른 지역 그린
European Portuguese: área em volta de um buraco de golfe
Latin American Spanish: green
British English: Green /ɡriːn/ NOUN
Greens are members of political movements concerned with the protection of the environment.
The Greens see themsevles as a radical alternative to the two major political parties.
American English: green
Arabic: أَخْضَر
Brazilian Portuguese: Verdes
Chinese: 绿色
Croatian: Zeleni
Czech: zelený člen strany
Danish: grøn
Dutch: de Groenen
European Spanish: verde
Finnish: vihreä väri
French: verts
German: Grünfläche
Greek: πράσινο
Italian: verde
Japanese: 緑色
Korean: 녹색
Norwegian: grønnfarge
Polish: ekolog
European Portuguese: partido verde
Romanian: ecologiști
Russian: партия зеленых
Latin American Spanish: ecologista fresco
Swedish: grönområde
Thai: พรรคหรือกลุ่มคนที่รักษาสิ่งแวดล้อม
Turkish: yeşil
Ukrainian: Партія зелених
Vietnamese: thành viên thuộc phong trào bảo vệ môi trường
All related terms of 'green'
green ban
a trade union ban on any development that might be considered harmful to the environment
Green Bay
arm of Lake Michigan , extending into NE Wis .: c. 100 mi (161 km) long
green fee
See greens fee
green pea
pea 1 (sense 1 ) , pea 1 (sense 2 ) , pea 1 (sense 3 )
green run
a very easy run , suitable for complete beginners
green tax
A green tax is a tax that encourages people not to harm the environment, or helps pay for things that are good for the environment.
green tea
Green tea is a pale type of tea grown mainly in Japan and China , and usually drunk without milk .
pea green
a yellowish-green colour
sea green
Something that is sea-green is a bluish-green colour like the colour of the sea.
apple green
a bright light green or moderate yellowish-green
back green
grass or a garden at the back of a house, esp a tenement
baggy green
the Australian Test cricket cap
bice green
a medium blue colour; azurite
crown green
a type of bowling green in which the sides are lower than the middle
deep green
a person, esp a politician , who is in favour of taking extreme measures to tackle environmentalist issues
grass green
a green colour like grass
green alder
a variety of alder ( Alnus viridis ) common in temperate areas of the northern hemisphere
green algae
the algae of the phylum Chlorophyta, which possess the green pigment chlorophyll . The group includes sea lettuce and spirogyra
green bean
Green beans are long narrow beans that are eaten as a vegetable .
green beans
the narrow green edible pods of a green bean plant
green belt
A green belt is an area of land with fields or parks around a town or city, where people are not allowed to build houses or factories by law .
Green Beret
A Green Beret is a British or American → commando .
green card
A green card is a document showing that someone who is not a citizen of the United States has permission to live and work there.
green corn
young ears of sweet corn , in the milky stage
green crab
a yellowish-green crab , Carcinides maenas , common in shallow waters along rocky shores
green earth
any of several earths or clays containing iron silicates used as a pale grayish-green pigment
green-eyed
jealous or envious
Green Flag
an award given to a bathing beach that meets EU standards of cleanliness
green flash
a flash of bright green light sometimes seen as the sun passes below the horizon , caused by a combination of the dispersion , scattering , and refraction of light
green gland
one of a pair of excretory organs in some crustaceans that open at the base of each antenna
green glass
glass in its natural colour, usually greenish as a result of metallic substances in the raw materials
green gram
a leguminous plant, Phaseolus aureus , whose seeds are used as food in India
green heron
a small heron , Butorides virescens, of subtropical North America, with dark greenish wings and back
green leek
any of several Australian parrots with a green or mostly green plumage
green light
a signal to go , esp a green traffic light
green line
a line of demarcation between two hostile communities
green lung
an area of parkland within a town or city, considered in terms of the healthier environment it provides
green mold
any of various species of a fungus (esp. genus Penicillium ) that produce greenish masses of spores
green mould
any fungus of the genus Penicillium that forms a bluish mass on decaying food, leather , etc
green onion
Green onions are small onions with long green leaves .
green paper
In Britain, a Green Paper is a document containing ideas about a particular subject that is published by the Government so that people can discuss them before any decisions are made.
Green Party
The Green Party is a political party that is particularly concerned about protecting the environment.
green peas
peas eaten while fresh and immature
green pound
a unit of account used in calculating Britain's contributions to and payments from the Community Agricultural Fund of the EU
green power
electricity generated in a way that is in keeping with conservation of the world's natural resources and improvement of the environment
Green River
a river in the western US, rising in W central Wyoming and flowing south into Utah , east through NW Colorado , re-entering Utah before joining the Colorado River. Length: 1175 km (730 miles)
green roof
a roof covered with vegetation , designed for its aesthetic value and to optimize energy conservation
green salad
A green salad is a salad made mainly with lettuce and other green vegetables.
green snake
any of a genus ( Opheodrys ) of harmless , small and slender , green colubrid snakes of North America
green soap
a soft or liquid alkaline soap made from vegetable oils , used in treating certain chronic skin diseases
Chinese translation of 'green'
green
(ɡriːn)
adj
(= colour) 绿(綠)色的 (lǜsè de)
(= inexperienced) 缺乏经(經)验(驗)的 (quēfá jīngyàn de)
⇒ He was very green, straight out of college.他刚毕业，没什么经验。 (Tā gāng bìyè, méi shénme jīngyàn.)
(= environmental) 环(環)保的 (huánbǎo de)
⇒ green activists环保分子 (huánbǎo fènzǐ)
n
(c/u) (= colour) 绿(綠)色 (lǜsè) (抹, mǒ)
⇒ The walls were a bright green.墙是鲜绿色的。 (Qiáng shì xiānlǜsè de.)
(c) (Golf) 球穴区(區) (qiúxuéqū)
(c) (also village green) 村庄(莊)公共绿(綠)地 (cūnzhuāng gōnggòng lǜdì) (块(塊), kuài)
to have green fingers or (US) a green thumb擅长(長)侍弄花草 (shàncháng shìnòng huācǎo)
to give sb/sth the green light准许(許)某人做某事/某事的发(發)生 (zhǔnxǔ mǒurén zuò mǒushì/mǒushì de fāshēng)
to be green with envy十分妒忌 (shífēn dùjì)
Derived Forms
greensn pl
(= vegetables) 绿(綠)叶(葉)菜 (lǜyècài)
(Pol): the Greens绿(綠)党(黨)成员(員) (lǜdǎng chéngyuán) (个(個), gè)
蓝(藍)色或绿(綠)色的有现(現)货(貨) lánsè huò lǜsè de yǒu xiànhuò
to have green fingers or ( US ) a green thumb
擅长(長)侍弄花草 shàncháng shìnòng huācǎo
jade
( stone ) 玉 yù
Mr Green is out at the moment
格林先生这(這)会(會)儿(兒)不在 Gélín xiānsheng zhèhùir bù zài
olive
( fruit ) 橄榄(欖) gǎnlǎn [ 颗 kē ]
to give sb/sth the green light
准许(許)某人做某事/某事的发(發)生 zhǔnxǔ mǒurén zuò mǒushì/mǒushì de fāshēng
the yellow dress, not the green one
那件黄(黃)色的衣服，不是绿(綠)色的 nà jiàn huángsè de yīfu, bùshì lǜsè de
1 (adjective)
Definition
covered with grass, plants, or trees
The city has only thirteen square centimetres of green space for each inhabitant.
Synonyms
verdant (literary)
a small verdant garden with a view over Paris
leafy
Our house was surrounded by tall leafy trees.
grassy
verdurous
2 (adjective)
Definition
of or concerned with conservation and improvement of the environment: used in a political context
trying to persuade governments to adopt greener policies
Synonyms
ecological
ecological disasters such as the destruction of the rainforest
conservationist
environment-friendly
ecologically sound
eco-friendly
ozone-friendly
non-polluting
sustainable
recyclable
green-collar
3 (adjective)
Definition
(of fruit) fresh, raw, or unripe
Pick and ripen any green fruits in a warm dark place.
Synonyms
unripe
fresh
The soldiers were fresh recruits.
raw
He is still raw but his potential shows.
immature
The birds were in immature plumage.
4 (adjective)
Definition
inexperienced or gullible
He was a young lad, very green and immature.
Synonyms
inexperienced
They are inexperienced when it comes to decorating.
new
innocent
They seemed so young and innocent.
raw
naive
He's so naive he'll believe anything I tell him.
ignorant
They don't ask questions for fear of appearing ignorant.
immature
You're just being childish and immature.
gullible
I'm so gullible I believed him.
callow
Although he's 25, he still behaves like a callow youth in some ways.
untrained
It is nonsense to say we have untrained staff dealing with emergencies.
unsophisticated
He was quite unsophisticated in the ways of the world.
credulous
Children can be credulous and accept what they are told.
ingenuous
He seemed too ingenuous for a reporter.
unpolished
wet behind the ears (informal)
inexpert
unpractised
unversed
5 (adjective)
Collectors worldwide will turn green with envy.
Synonyms
jealous
I have never sought to make my readers jealous of my megastar lifestyle.
grudging
resentful
He turned away in a resentful silence.
envious
I think she is envious of your success.
covetous
His sports car was attracting covetous stares.
6 (adjective)
Definition
pale and sick-looking
By the end of the race the runners would be green with sickness.
Synonyms
nauseous
Sea travel makes me feel nauseous.
ill
He was seriously ill with pneumonia.
sick
The very thought of food made him feel sick.
pale
A pale light seeped through the window.
unhealthy
a poorly dressed, unhealthy looking fellow with a poor complexion
wan
The lamp cast a wan light through the swirls of fog.
under the weather
I'm feeling a bit under the weather today.
1 (noun)
Definition
a person who supports environmentalist issues
The Greens see themselves as a radical alternative to the two major parties.
Synonyms
environmentalist
Environmentalists argue that drift net fishing should be banned.
conservationist
tree-hugger (informal, derogatory)
2 (noun)
Definition
an area of smooth turf kept for a special purpose
a pageant on the village green
Synonyms
lawn
common
turf
They shuffled slowly down the turf towards the cliff's edge.
sward
grassplot
related words
related adjectiveverdant
subject word lists
See Shades of green
figurative note
Green is the colour of plants and vegetation and many of its extended meanings derive from this. If an area is described as having green spaces, it has parkland, gardens, fields and the like. Similarly, green belt is a zone of open country surrounding a city which is protected from urban development. Green politics are those which concentrate on preserving the environment and natural resources. Green is also the colour of unripe fruit and plants, which has led to the meanings of youth, lack of maturity, and lack of experience. When applied to human physiology, green is the colour of biliousness and sickness as in the phrase green around the gills. Jealousy was formerly linked with the colour yellow, but now is expressed in various phrases with green, such as Shakespeare's green-eyed monster (jealousy) and green with envy. One modern metaphorical meaning of green is in traffic signalling, where a green light means go. The verb greenlight, meaning to authorize or permit something to proceed, shows a recent extension of this sense.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of callow
Definition
young and inexperienced
Although he's 25, he still behaves like a callow youth in some ways.
Synonyms
inexperienced,
juvenile,
naïve,
immature,
raw,
untried,
green,
unsophisticated,
puerile,
guileless,
jejune (formal),
unfledged
in the sense of covetous
Definition
jealously longing to possess something
His sports car was attracting covetous stares.
Synonyms
envious,
jealous,
yearning,
greedy,
acquisitive,
rapacious,
avaricious,
grasping,
mercenary
in the sense of credulous
Definition
arising from or showing credulity
Children can be credulous and accept what they are told.