English
greenish
Greenish comes from Middle English grene ‘green’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰreh₁-‘to grow, become green’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*groh₁-ni-sreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*grōniz‘green’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*grōnī‘green’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150grēne‘green’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500grene‘green’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500grenisch
- Englishtodaygreenish
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰreh₁-‘to grow, become green’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*groh₁-ni-sreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*grōniz‘green’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*grōnī‘green’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150grēne‘green’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500grene‘green’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500grenisch
- Englishtodaygreenish
Formed from green + -ish
Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁- ‘to grow’
…
Proto-Germanic *grōniz
Proto-West Germanic *grōnī
Old English grēne
Middle English grene
English green
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁- ‘to grow, become green’
grow, grass, herb, arbor, groom, gourmet, graze, yerba, greedily, ambergris, 18 more
Today it means
adj Somewhat green in color.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁- / greenish