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virescent

American  
[vahy-res-uhnt, vi-] / vaɪˈrɛs ənt, vɪ- /

adjective

  1. turning green.

  2. tending to a green color; slightly greenish.


virescent British  
/ vɪˈrɛsənt /

adjective

  1. greenish or becoming green

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of virescent

1820–30; < Latin virēscent- (stem of virēscēns, present participle of virēscere to become green), equivalent to vir ( ēre ) to be green + -ēscent- -escent


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:

She is also interested in the virescent group, where the outer petals are almost entirely covered by distinct dark green areas.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 23, 2021

Having already sacrificed precious time scouting a Bird Cherry tree “as white as a bride,” Tarkovsky is infuriated when the crew is caught planting a virescent mismatch.

From Slate ● Feb. 17, 2012

Out into the glare of the great flame they issued warily, out into the strangely glowing mist that covered the incredible village as with a virescent pall.

From Darkness and Dawn by George Allan England

Some partially virescent honeysuckle flowers have a similar structure.

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

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. 

From The Hand of Ethelberta by Thomas Hardy

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