greening
|green-ing|
/ˈɡriːnɪŋ/
(green)
color of nature
Etymology
'greening' originates from Old English elements: the adjective 'green' (Old English 'grēne') plus the deverbal/nominal suffix '-ing' (Old English '-ing, -ung') used to form actions or nouns.
'green' comes from Old English 'grēne', from Proto-Germanic '*grōniz'; the modern gerund/agent/noun form 'greening' developed in Middle English as '-ing' forms were applied to verbs/adjectives, producing words such as 'greening' or earlier spellings like 'grening'.
Initially, 'green' described the color or freshness of vegetation; over time, especially in the 20th century, 'green' and derived forms like 'greening' expanded to include environmental and ecological meanings (making something environmentally friendly).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or policy of making activities, products, or organizations more environmentally friendly (reducing pollution, conserving resources).
The city's greening has included new bike lanes and stricter emissions rules.
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Noun 2
the process by which land or plants become green again—growth of vegetation, new leafing or revegetation.
After the long drought, the greening of the hills was a welcome sight.
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Noun 3
in agricultural or policy contexts, a set of environmental measures or requirements (e.g., 'greening' payments or rules in agricultural policy).
Many farmers found the new greening rules difficult to meet.
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Verb 1
present participle of 'green': performing the action of making something green or more environmentally friendly (e.g., greening a business).
They are greening their fleet by switching to electric vehicles.
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Last updated: 2025/11/28 16:55