vert (French)

Where does "vert" come from?

The French adjective 'vert' meaning 'green' traces its history back to the Latin word 'viridis'[1][2]. This Latin term originates from the verb 'vireo', which signifies to flourish or to be verdant[3]. Through the process of syncopation, 'viridis' evolved into the Vulgar Latin form 'virdis'[1][2]. In the transition to Old French, the word was spelled as 'vert'[1][2], with the final consonant 't' arising from regular final devoicing[1]. The modern feminine form was later extended with an added 'e' during the Middle French period, though it maintained the original devoiced sound[1]. Today, the word has expanded its meaning to include the sense of being environmentally friendly[2].

Open questions

• The derivation of the Latin verb vireo from a Proto Indo European root remains debated among scholars. [4]

Full etymology tree

• vert (French), 'green'
  • inherited vert (Middle French)
    • inherited vert (Old French), 'green'
      • inherited virdis (Latin), 'syncopic form of viridis (“green”)'
        • inherited viridis (Latin), 'verdant'
          • derived vireo (Latin), 'to be verdant, green; to sprout new green growth'

Ancestors

• vert (Old French)
• virdis (Latin)
• viridis (Latin)

Descendants and derived words

• algue verte (French)
• béret vert (French)
• carte verte (French)
• chêne vert (French)
• chou vert et vert chou (French)
• citron vert (French)
• classe verte (French)
• énergie verte (French)
• fée verte (French)
• feu vert (French)
• haricot vert (French)
• heure verte (French)

Sources

1. vert (French) - Wiktionary
2. vert (Old French) - Wiktionary
3. viridis (Latin) - Wiktionary
4. vireo (Latin) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris