gree
1 Americannoun
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superiority, mastery, or victory.
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the prize for victory.
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Obsolete. a step.
noun
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favor; goodwill.
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satisfaction, as for an injury.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
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superiority or victory
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the prize for a victory
noun
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goodwill; favour
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satisfaction for an insult or injury
verb
Etymology
Origin of gree1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English gre “step, flight of steps; victory in a tournament or battle; rank, position,” from Old French gré “a step,” from Latin gradus “step, stage, footing, stance”; cf. grade, degree
Origin of gree2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gre, from Old French gre, gred, gret “pleasure, goodwill,” from Latin grātum “what is agreeable,” the neuter singular of grātus “pleasing”
Origin of gree3
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English green “to satisfy, come to terms with,” possibly a shortened form of agreen “to agree,” or from Old French gréer “to please, be pleased with”; cf. agree, gree 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Recently Mr. Murphy accepted an honorary de gree from L. S. U. Louisiana's second Governor Long on his first day in office put flowers on the grave of Brother Huey.
From Time Magazine Archive
He went on TV to disavow Schroder, saying that "the Cabinet has by no means decided to cut the troop strength of the Bundeswehr to a considerable de gree, let alone by 60,000 men."
From Time Magazine Archive
In the end she studied law, got her de gree from the University of Texas, became parliamentarian of the Texas Legislature and wrote a book on parliamentary law.
From Time Magazine Archive
Resenting a Harvard professor's literary criticisms, Hubbard ever after blasted colleges: "A college de gree does not lessen the length of your ears; it only conceals it."
From Time Magazine Archive
A proud mind and an empty purse gree ill thegither.
From The Proverbs of Scotland by Alexander Hislop
The court described the tragedy as caused by "individuals driven by greed, with utter disregard for human life".
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
Just as your altruism or kindness can lead you astray, so can other motivations, like greed — participating in a get-rich-quick scam that seems too good to be true.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
Incidents of great kindness alternate with base acts of greed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Josh Baker enters a dangerous world of fear, greed and betrayal as he uncovers what happened in one of the biggest missing-person cases of our time - the abduction of Austin Tice.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
“Or maybe your greed got in the way of good judgment.”
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
