Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “greener” come from?

Greener comes from English green, Middle English grene, Old English grēne, Proto-West Germanic grōnī, Proto-Germanic grōniz, and Proto-Indo-European gʰreH₁-, meaning to grow or flourish.

greener (English): comparative form of green: more green; A...

Definitions

  1. comparative form of green: more green; A...

Ancestry of “greener”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgreenHaving green as its color; Sickly, unwell;...
2Middle Englishgrenegreen
3Old Englishgrēnegreen
4Proto-West Germanicgrōnīgreen
5Proto-Germanicgrōnizgreen
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰreh₁-to become green, grow; to grow; to green, to grow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰreh₁- →