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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread green room? #431 03/18/2000 12:53 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 1 Bay Area gorski stranger gorski stranger Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 1 Bay Area what is the etymology of the theatrical term "green room?" what references support this etymology? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: green room? #432 03/18/2000 6:07 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 140 Melbourne, Australia lusy member lusy member Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 140 Melbourne, Australia I understand it is because traditionally the walls were green (perhaps a "restful" colour?) but I have nothing to support this except Chambers which says just that. I have been in a few, and none has been green! Rgds, lusy Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: green room? #433 03/18/2000 7:31 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 140 Melbourne, Australia lusy member lusy member Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 140 Melbourne, Australia The lady I am currently living with, who happens to be my wife of 48 years past, has suddenly suggested that it may be to do with the practice in years long gone of covering the doors to the servants' quarters with green baize, as a soundproofing medium. What does the panel think of this? Rgds, lusy. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: green room? #434 03/18/2000 9:14 PM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky I have heard TV hosts say that this term came into use because, for one of the first popular shows that had guests appear, the room where they waited their turn (and, presumably, tried to calm their nerves!) was green. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: green room? #435 03/20/2000 2:53 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 4 Costa Rica Danny Thomas stranger Danny Thomas stranger Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 4 Costa Rica The Oxford Universal Dictionary, which describes green-room as "A room in a theatre for actors and acresses when not required on the stage, perhaps originally painted green", dates this word in 1701 (quite some time before television). Danny Thomas Danny Thomas Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter 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 Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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