green thumb

American  

noun

1. an exceptional aptitude for gardening or for growing plants successfully.

   Houseplants provide much pleasure for the city dweller with a green thumb.

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green thumb British  

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): green fingers.  considerable talent or ability to grow plants

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green thumb Cultural  

1. A knack for growing plants and keeping them healthy: “All my houseplants are in sorry shape; it's clear I don't have a green thumb.”

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green thumb Idioms  

1. A knack for making plants grow well, as in Just look at Louise's plants—she really has a green thumb. This term presumably alludes to the stained fingers of an avid gardener. [First half of 1900s]

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Other Word Forms

• green-thumbed adjective
• green-thumber noun

Etymology

Origin of green thumb

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Jose said their grandmother had an exceptionally green thumb.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 27, 2023

Outside of school, Reagan enjoys ceramics, obsessing over Victorian literature, and trying to keep her plants alive, although her succulents are proof that she may not have a green thumb.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 8, 2023

For your green thumb, find tips for saving money on houseplants and how to keep your plants alive longer.

From Washington Post • Nov. 16, 2022

With your green thumb, consider selling plants in your community.

From Slate • Oct. 21, 2022

When I was little, Papa used to tell me that instead of a green thumb, Tūtū had a green ear.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila