Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “greenery” come from?

Greenery derives from Middle English grenerie, from Old English grēne meaning verdant, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʰreH₁- meaning to grow or flourish.

greenery (English): Green foliage or verdure; Foliage used as...

Definitions

  1. Green foliage or verdure; Foliage used as...

Ancestry of “greenery”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-eryAdded to nouns to form other nouns meaning the...
2French-eriedenoting a shop selling a certain product;...
3Old French-erieused to form feminine nouns
4Old French-ieindicates a feminine noun, often an abstract one
5Latin-iaUsed to form a feminine abstract noun, usually...
6Latin-iusforming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter...
7Proto-Italic-jōsForms comparative adjectives
8Proto-Indo-European-yósCreates adjectives from noun or verb stems
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yós →