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verdoyant

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Etymology and origin of the French word verdoyant

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1170 More words from the 12th century
Ultimate origin
French verdoyer

Pronunciation

  • /vɛʁ.dwa.jɑ̃/[1]

Forms

verdoyant (feminine verdoyante, masculine plural verdoyants, feminine plural verdoyantes)[1] Old French verdoiant; the spelling verdoyant is found in the 13th century.[2][3]

Etymology

It is the present participle from French verdoyer (“to grow green”), used as an adjective.[2][3][4][5] The verb is formed on vert (“green”) with the suffix -oyer.[6] Wiktionary traces it instead to Vulgar Latin *viridizō.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Rey dates verdoiant to 1170, in the sense “green in colour”; the GLLF cites it from the 12th-century Roncevaux.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

From about 1190 it was applied to plants that are turning or staying green, and this is now almost its only use.[5] In the 16th century it could still describe a greenish colour, as in Paré's sanie de couleur noire et verdoyante.[7]

The TLFi records a figurative use for things full of vitality, such as verdoyante jeunesse.[6]

Timeline

  • 1170 – Verdoiant “green in colour”.[5]
  • c. 1190 – Said of green, growing plants.[5]
  • 13th century – The spelling verdoyant appears.[2][7]
  • 16th century – Paré uses it for a greenish discharge.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Green with growing plants, covered with fresh and vigorous vegetation: des collines verdoyantes.[4][6][2]
  2. Of plants: turning green, verdant.[6][7]
  3. (literary, figurative) Full of life and freshness.[6]
  4. (dated) Having a greenish colour.[7][6]
  • verdoyer
  • vert
  • verdure
  • verdoiement

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d e f Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  7. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Verdoyant.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/verdoyant. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·