English
greenness
Greenness comes from Old English grēne ‘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’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150grennes
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500grennesse
- Englishearliest quotation 1950greenness
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’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150grennes
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500grennesse
- Englishearliest quotation 1950greenness
Earliest quotation: 1950, Mervyn Peake: “Her crimson dress inflames grey corridors, or flaring in…”
Formed from green + -ness
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, ambergris, greedily, 18 more
Today it means
noun The state or quality of being green; green colour.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁- / greenness