Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Becoming green.
  • adjective Somewhat green; greenish.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Greenish; slightly green; turning or becoming green.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Beginning to be green; slightly green; greenish.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Green-like, greenish.
  • adjective Becoming green.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin virēscēns, virēscent-, present participle of virēscere, to become green, inchoative of virēre, to be green.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Circa 1825, from Latin virescens, present participle of virescere ("to become green"), from virere ("to be green")

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Examples

  • On our long drive from the border to Irbil, we passed throngs of families moving in the opposite direction: they were fleeing to the brilliant virescent cliffs of the Hasarost Mountains northeast of the city, where, they believed, they would be safer in case Iraqi soldiers encamped on the west bank of the Great Zab River were to launch a chemical strike against Irbil.

    Peace Meals Anna Badkhen 2010

  • On our long drive from the border to Irbil, we passed throngs of families moving in the opposite direction: they were fleeing to the brilliant virescent cliffs of the Hasarost Mountains northeast of the city, where, they believed, they would be safer in case Iraqi soldiers encamped on the west bank of the Great Zab River were to launch a chemical strike against Irbil.

    Peace Meals Anna Badkhen 2010

  • Between them stood a table covered with green baize, which, reflecting upwards a band of sunlight shining across the chamber, flung upon his already white features the virescent hues of death.

    The Hand of Ethelberta 2006

  • It was enclosed by low hills whose sides were covered with the tree-ferns; their feathery fronds clothed them as though they were the breasts of gigantic birds of Paradise; threw themselves up from them like fountains; soared over them like vast virescent wings.

    Dwellers in the Mirage 2004

  • As he dropped, Flinx marveled through the port at the virescent surface.

    Mid Flinx Foster, Alan Dean 1995

  • As he dropped, Flinx marveled through the port at the virescent surface.

    Mid Flinx Foster, Alan Dean 1995

  • It was that of a talus larger than the largest Auk had ever seen; its virescent bronze face was cast in a grimace of hate, blinding yellow light glared from its eyes, and the oily black barrels of a flamer and a pair of buzz guns jutted from its open mouth.

    Calde of the Long Sun Wolfe, Gene 1994

  • It was that of a talus larger than the largest Auk had ever seen; its virescent bronze face was cast in a grimace of hate, blinding yellow light glared from its eyes, and the oily black barrels of a flamer and a pair of buzz guns jutted from its open mouth.

    Calde of the Long Sun Wolfe, Gene 1994

  • In this case the petals were virescent, and the stamens and pistils were entirely absent, hence in truth, the so-called flower more nearly resembled a branch.

    Vegetable Teratology An Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants Maxwell T. Masters

  • Some partially virescent honeysuckle flowers have a similar structure.

    Vegetable Teratology An Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants Maxwell T. Masters

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