Greeny

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Having a color that is slightly or moderately green, rather than purely or intensely green
2. Displaying a greenish hue that is not fully saturated or deep green in tone
3. Of a shade that leans toward green but lacks full or vivid green coloration

Etymology: "Greeny" is about as plain as English word-building gets: the adjective "green" with the suffix "-y" attached, meaning "somewhat green" or "tending toward green." The suffix itself has a long pedigree, descending from an Old English ending "-ig" that formed adjectives meaning "full of" or "having the quality of" the base word, as in "stony" or "earthy." The base word has its own deep history. "Green" traces back through Old English "grēne" and Proto-Germanic "grōnaz" to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning to grow, the same idea that gives English words like "grass" and "grow" their roots. So a colour name ultimately came from the notion of vigorous plant growth.