Greenify

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To make a place, product or practice more environmentally friendly ; to cover an area with plants, grass or trees
2. To render something more eco-conscious in its operation ; to plant greenery across a space so that it becomes verdant
3. Making a business, town or habit more sustainable ; adding vegetation and foliage to turn bare ground lush and green

Etymology: "Greenify" is a plain formation: the adjective "green" with the suffix "-ify," which turns a word into a verb meaning "to make or become." So "greenify" means to make something green, whether that is a landscape, a city, or a company's public image. The suffix "-ify" came into English through Old French "-ifier" from Latin "-ificare," a pattern that has produced many everyday verbs like "simplify" and "classify." The sense has broadened over time. Literally, greenifying can mean planting trees or turning a barren lot into a park. Figuratively, it has come to describe making a product, a building, or a business practice more environmentally friendly, sometimes with a cosmetic flavour that critics call "greenwashing."

Synonyms: revegetate, landscape, afforest

Antonyms: desertify, devastate