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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Re: verdigris #196982 02/04/2011 1:19 PM Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 2 abelcandoit stranger abelcandoit stranger Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 2 Since "gris" is French for "grey", why doesn't verdigris simply mean "grey green" or "greenish grey"? The Greek connection seems obscure and might even have been a 14th century joke. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Re: verdigris abelcandoit #196987 02/04/2011 2:29 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass Etymology (from OED online): < Anglo-Norman and Old French vert de Grece (c1170), Old French verte grez (13th cent.), vert de grice (1314), vert-de-gris (15th cent.; also modern French), lit. ‘green of Greece’: see vert n.1 Compare medieval Latin viride grecum (14–15th cent.). The terminal syllable at an early date was no longer understood and hence underwent various corruptions of spelling and pronunciation. NB: note earlier dates Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Share Post on Reddit Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,915 Posts230,281 Members9,208 Most Online4,606 Sep 17th, 2025 Newest Members JerryC, blvd, Tony Hood, Wood Delivery, Forix Richard 9,208 Registered Users Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 22 A C Bowden 7 JerryC 1 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 wofahulicodoc 11,136 tsuwm 10,542 LukeJavan8 9,974 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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