green
green — verb
1. to cover or fill an area with plants, grass, or trees so that it looks green and
to cover or fill an area with plants, grass, or trees so that it looks green and pleasant, or to improve a place in an environmentally friendly way
The city council voted to green the empty lots by turning them into community gardens.
collocation: green + empty lots / urban spaces
Nila greened her balcony with a row of wooden planters and climbing jasmine.
pattern: green + [place] + with + [plants/materials]
The old railway yard was greened by a project that planted two hundred native trees.
passive: be greened under/by [initiative]
A local group plans to green the school grounds with a vegetable garden.
- green a city
- green a roof / rooftop
- green an area / a space
- green a neighbourhood
Grammar Patterns
green + noun phrase
green + noun phrase + by + verb-ing
Usage Note
The object is usually a place (a city, a rooftop, a patch of land) rather than a single object. Frequently used in environmental or urban-improvement contexts.
2. to change colour to green as grass, leaves, or other plants grow, especially aft
to change colour to green as grass, leaves, or other plants grow, especially after a dry or cold period
After weeks of steady rain, the hills finally began to green again.
pattern: begin/start + to green
The park greened up quickly once the spring temperatures stayed warm.
phrasal: green up (intransitive, informal)
Cyrus waited for the lawn to green before letting the children play on it.
By early May the rice paddies had greened and the whole valley looked lush.
- lawn greened
- hills greened
- grass greened up
- trees began to green
- grow green
more descriptive; used when the process of growth is emphasised
- become verdant
formal or literary register
Grammar Patterns
green
green up
Usage Note
Commonly combines with 'up' (green up) in informal speech. The subject is typically plant life, grass, a lawn, or a landscape. Often appears with 'begin to', 'start to', or the perfect tense to describe a gradual change.
green up
phrasal verbto become greener, especially when grass or plants start growing well after a dry or cold period; also to make a place greener by adding plants
The lawn greened up as soon as the rainy season began.
The neighbourhood group hopes to green up the empty lot behind the school.
green — noun
1. a colour you get when blending blue and yellow, similar to what you see in grass
a colour you get when blending blue and yellow, similar to what you see in grass or fresh leaves.
The walls of the living room were painted in a soft green.
uncountable: colour in general
Xiu chose a bright green for her new bicycle.
countable: a specific shade
Green is my grandma's favourite colour — she wears it every day.
The artist mixed blue and yellow to make a vivid green for the hills.
A deep green looks beautiful on autumn trees just before the leaves fall.
- bright green
- dark green
- shade of green
- painted green
Usage Note
Can be uncountable when referring to the colour in general ('green is calming'), or countable when referring to a specific shade ('a rich green').
Common Mistakes
2. a person who belongs to or supports an organised group that works to protect nat
a person who belongs to or supports an organised group that works to protect nature and fight climate change.
The Greens won three seats in the city council election.
countable plural: 'the Greens' for the party
Élise has been a Green since she first learned about recycling at school.
countable singular: a member
Nikhil voted for the Greens because he wants stronger laws on air pollution.
A Green proposed the new law to protect the forest from logging.
Many young people in Taiwan support the Greens and their environmental policies.
- the Green Party
- vote Green
- the Greens
- environmentalist
broader term — anyone who cares about the environment, not necessarily a party member
- ecologist
more academic; refers to someone who studies ecosystems, not political affiliation
Grammar Patterns
the Greens
Usage Note
Often capitalised when referring to a specific party member ('a Green'). The plural 'the Greens' can refer to the party as a whole.
Common Mistakes
3. a flat area of grass in a village or town that is freely open for anyone to use,
a flat area of grass in a village or town that is freely open for anyone to use, often located in the centre of the community.
Children were playing football on the village green.
countable: 'the village green' as a specific place
The annual summer fair is always held on the green behind the church.
Romi sat on the green with a book and watched the ducks by the pond.
The town council decided to plant more trees around the green.
Dogs are welcome on the green as long as they are kept on a lead.
- village green
- on the green
- town green
Usage Note
Commonly used with 'village' as 'village green'. More typical in British English than American English.
4. a word used as part of the name of a location, especially a village, a grassy pu
a word used as part of the name of a location, especially a village, a grassy public area, or a street with grass in the middle.
Tavistock Green is the name of a small village in the west of England.
countable: place name with capital G
The bus stopped at Morden Green before turning onto the main road.
Zayd lives on Green Lane, just past the library.
The wedding reception was held at Green Acres, a large farm outside the city.
Obi grew up on a quiet street called The Green in a small market town.
- Green Lane
- Green Street
- The Green
- Green Acres
Usage Note
When used in a place name, 'Green' is typically capitalised. Common in British addresses and village names.
5. the smooth, closely cut area of short grass around each cup in the sport of golf
the smooth, closely cut area of short grass around each cup in the sport of golf, where players try to roll the ball in with a putter.
Hiro hit the ball onto the green with his second shot.
countable: 'the green' as a specific golf area
The groundskeepers water the greens every morning before the golfers arrive.
countable plural: all greens on the course
Yumi's putt rolled across the green and stopped right next to the hole.
The course has eighteen greens, each with its own small flag.
After the rain, the green was too wet for anyone to play on.
- putting green
- on the green
- the eighteenth green
- hit the green
- putting green
same meaning, more specific term used in golf instruction
Usage Note
Often called a 'putting green' — the part of a golf course where players use a putter. Contrasts with the 'fairway' (longer grass leading to the green).
6. leafy edible plants like spinach, kale, and lettuce that are eaten cooked or raw
leafy edible plants like spinach, kale, and lettuce that are eaten cooked or raw as part of a meal.
The doctor told Aisha to eat more greens for better health.
plural: 'greens' as a food category
Beatriz added a handful of fresh greens to the soup just before serving.
The salad had a mix of greens with tomatoes and cucumber.
Indra grows her own greens in a small vegetable garden behind the house.
The children refused to eat their greens until their mother added cheese sauce.
- eat your greens
- fresh greens
- mixed greens
- spring greens
- leafy vegetables
more formal; refers specifically to vegetables with edible leaves
- veggies
informal; covers all vegetables, not only green leafy ones
Usage Note
Almost always used in the plural form 'greens'. Can refer to a wide variety of leafy vegetables. Common in health and nutrition contexts.
Common Mistakes
green — adjective
1. having the same colour as fresh grass or growing leaves — one of the main colour
having the same colour as fresh grass or growing leaves — one of the main colours that sits in the middle part of the rainbow.
The leaves on the cherry tree turn bright green every spring.
linking verb + green: turn/become + colour
Lien wore a long green dress to her sister's wedding.
Hiro painted the kitchen walls a soft, light green.
A bright green frog sat on the big rock near the pond.
Madison's new car is dark green, not blue like her old one.
before a noun: green modifies colour names
- bright green
- dark green
- light green
- pale green
- turn green
- go green
- greenish
slightly green, or not fully green — a softer shade than 'green'
Grammar Patterns
green + noun
be/look/turn + green
Usage Note
Common in patterns like 'turn/go green' to describe seasonal change. Can be modified by words like 'bright', 'dark', 'light', 'pale' to show different shades.
Common Mistakes
2. relating to political efforts that keep the natural world safe from harm, or bac
relating to political efforts that keep the natural world safe from harm, or backing organisations that put care for nature at the centre of their plans.
The Green Party won three more seats in the local council election.
proper noun: the Green Party
Samir only votes for green candidates who promise to fight for cleaner air and water.
The new government promised to follow a green policy on energy and transport.
Isabela joined several green groups that work together to protect local forests.
collocation: green groups / green candidates
A green approach to city planning means building more parks and fewer roads.
- green party
- green policy
- green candidate
- green politics
- green movement
- environmentalist
more formal; describes a person actively working to protect the environment
- eco-friendly
describes products or actions, not political positions — 'eco-friendly' is not a political label
Grammar Patterns
green + noun
Usage Note
Often capitalised as 'Green' when referring to a specific political party (the Green Party). The uncapitalised form describes a general political stance or set of policies.
Common Mistakes
3. designed, made, or done in a way that does little or no harm to the natural worl
designed, made, or done in a way that does little or no harm to the natural world and actively helps protect it.
The hotel runs entirely on green energy from solar panels on the roof.
collocation: green energy
Stephanie switched to green cleaning products that contain no harmful chemicals.
Our office now uses green packaging that breaks down naturally in the soil.
Many supermarkets offer green options such as paper bags instead of plastic ones.
Tendai planted a green roof on his shed to attract bees and butterflies.
collocation: green roof / green building
- green energy
- green product
- green packaging
- green technology
- green building
- go green
- green lifestyle
- eco-friendly
identical in meaning; 'green' is more common in everyday speech
- sustainable
more formal; focuses on long-term balance rather than immediate harm reduction
- environmentally friendly
more explicit; used in official product labels and certifications
- polluting
describes something that harms the environment through waste or emissions
- unsustainable
describes a practice that cannot continue without damaging the environment
Grammar Patterns
green + noun
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (ECO-POLITICAL): this sense describes everyday products, habits, and designs that protect the environment, not political parties or campaigns.
Common Mistakes
4. covered with living grass, trees, bushes, or other plants; used to describe a la
covered with living grass, trees, bushes, or other plants; used to describe a landscape or area with a lot of vegetation.
The green hills of Wales stretch all the way to the sea in the west.
Élise loves walking through the green fields near her house in spring.
After the heavy spring rain, the park turned green again within days.
linking verb + green: turn green (change of state)
The golf course stays green all year thanks to an underground watering system.
Madison found a green spot between the buildings where wildflowers had grown.
- green fields
- green hills
- green countryside
- green landscape
- green valley
Grammar Patterns
green + noun
be/look + green
Usage Note
Describes the natural appearance of the land itself ('green valleys', 'green countryside'), not man-made objects that happen to be green in colour (see sense 1 for colour of objects).
5. still too young to be eaten (of fruit) or still too wet to be used as fuel (of w
still too young to be eaten (of fruit) or still too wet to be used as fuel (of wood) — not yet in a usable state.
Don't pick the apples yet — they are still green and taste very sour.
The bananas were still too green, so Lauren left them to ripen on the counter.
pattern: too + green + to-infinitive
Green wood does not burn well because it still holds a lot of water inside.
Zayd bit a green plum and made a face at the hard, bitter taste.
Farmers pick green tomatoes and leave them in the sun to turn red and soft.
- green fruit
- green wood
- still green
- too green
- green banana
- green tomato
- unripe
specifically for fruit that has not reached full growth — more precise than 'green'
- under-ripe
suggests the fruit is close to being ready but not quite there yet
Grammar Patterns
be + green
still + green
Usage Note
Most commonly used for fruit (green bananas, green apples, green tomatoes). For wood, it means 'not dried enough to be used as fuel or building material'. Not used for people — use 'inexperienced' or sense 6 instead.
Common Mistakes
✅ 'The apples are still green.' — correct for unripe fruit, especially when you want to describe their colour and unripe state together. Note: 'unripe' is a more formal synonym. ✅ 'Green wood doesn't burn well.' — correct for wood that is still wet. ❌ 'The new employee is still green at the job.' — avoid mixing this sense (not ready/inexperienced-of-fruit-or-wood) with the 'inexperienced person' meaning; use sense 6 (NOT EXPERIENCED) for people.
6. lacking experience, training, or the knowledge that comes from having done a job
lacking experience, training, or the knowledge that comes from having done a job or activity for a long time; new to something and therefore not yet skilful.
The new intern is still a bit green, but she learns fast and works hard.
informal register: describing a person's skill level
A green soldier needs at least six months of training before going into battle.
Eitan felt green on his first day teaching and made a few small mistakes.
The company hired three green programmers straight out of university last summer.
Liam was green at the garage at first, but now he fixes cars well.
pattern: was green when [clause] — contrasts past inexperience with present skill
- green recruit
- green worker
- still green
- a bit green
- green behind the ears
- inexperienced
neutral and formal; the standard alternative
- naive
describes someone who lacks wisdom or is easily tricked, not just job experience
- novice
formal noun/adjective; emphasises beginner status in a specific field
- experienced
having the knowledge gained from doing something many times
- seasoned
experienced and skilled through long practice; often used with 'veteran'
Grammar Patterns
be + green
green + noun (person)
Usage Note
Informal. Used of people who are new to a job, role, or skill. Avoid in formal writing — use 'inexperienced', 'new', or 'novice' instead. Can sometimes be softened with 'a bit' or 'still' as in 'still a bit green'.
Common Mistakes
7. having a pale or greyish skin colour that shows you do not feel well, especially
having a pale or greyish skin colour that shows you do not feel well, especially right before you vomit or when you feel very sick from an illness or a shock
Apinya turned green after eating the undercooked fish on the boat trip.
collocation: turn green (from nausea)
Christopher went green just from watching the children spin on the merry-go-round.
collocation: go green (feel sick)
When Minho saw the blood, his face went green and he rushed to the bathroom.
The smell of the old kitchen made the inspector look quite green around the mouth.
- turn green
- go green
- look green
- green around the gills
- green about the mouth
- healthy-looking
describes skin that has a normal, vibrant colour
- rosy
suggests pinkish, healthy-looking skin
Usage Note
Frequently appears in fixed verb phrases such as 'turn green' or 'go green'. The meaning depends on context — a person turning green is sick; a wall painted green is simply a colour.
Common Mistakes
8. feeling a strong envy or jealousy toward what someone else possesses, has achiev
feeling a strong envy or jealousy toward what someone else possesses, has achieved, or is able to do
Rohan was green with envy when he saw his neighbour's new sports car.
fixed phrase: green with envy
When Antonia announced her scholarship, Ingrid felt distinctly green with jealousy.
Amira was green with envy when her junior colleague got the corner office.
The other teams were green with envy over the champion's training facilities.
- green with envy
- green with jealousy
- turn green with envy
- go green with envy
Usage Note
Almost always used in the fixed expression 'green with envy' or with a similar phrase such as 'green with jealousy'. It is rarely used alone without 'with envy/jealousy' in modern English.
Common Mistakes
This phrase describes the idea that people often think others have better lives or situations than their own.
Maya thought her friend's job was better, but the grass is always greener on the other side.
Diego moved to a new city for a fresh start, only to find the grass isn't always greener.
green with envy
idiomThis phrase means feeling very jealous because someone else has something you want.
When Sara saw her neighbor's new car, she was green with envy.
Are you green with envy because your sister got the promotion?
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
The basic colour sense of green (adjective/1) describes something the colour of grass or leaves. Greenish means 'slightly green' and is used when the colour is not fully or intensely green — a greenish-yellow apple, for example. Verdant is a formal or literary word used almost exclusively for landscapes thick with healthy green vegetation: 'the verdant hills of Tuscany'. Lush adds the idea of rich, thick growth: lush grass grows densely and looks well-watered. Emerald describes a bright, clear, rich green, like the gemstone — often used for eyes, seas, or lawns in descriptive writing. Olive is a dull, yellowish-green, named after the fruit; it describes a subdued, earthy green tone rather than vivid plant-green. For everyday learners: use green for most situations, greenish when something is not fully green, and save verdant and emerald for descriptive or literary contexts.
Common collocations
Nouns
- green space
- green area
- green belt
- green movement
- green policy
- green technology
- green candidate
- shade of green
- tint of green
Adverbs
- brightly green
- deeply green
- lushly green
- permanently green
- softly green
Phrases
- go green
- turn green
- green with envy
- the grass is always greener on the other side
- green around the gills
Prepositions
- green with (envy/jealousy/nausea)
- green from (nausea/seasickness)
- green in (colour/tone/shade)
Etymology
Green traces back to Old English grēne, from the same ancient root as grōwan (to grow — since the colour of living plants was its original reference point). This Germanic root *grō- (to grow, to become green) is shared by Dutch groen, German grün, and Danish/Norwegian grøn. The meaning 'inexperienced' (of a person) appeared by the 1500s, based on the idea of something 'young, fresh, unripe'. The expression 'green with envy' (associating jealousy with a sickly green complexion) goes back to Shakespeare's time, when paleness and greenish skin were linked to the emotion of envy. The modern political and environmental senses (a 'green' party or policy) date from the 1970s–80s, growing out of the earlier association of green with nature and ecological movements.