ungreen

Etymology

From Middle English ungrene, from Old English ungrēne (“not green”), from Proto-West Germanic *ungrōnī (“not green”), equivalent to un- + green. Compare West Frisian ûngrien (“ungreen”), Dutch ongroen (“ungreen”), German ungrün (“not green”), Danish ugrøn (“ungreen”), Swedish ogrön (“ungreen”), Icelandic ógræn (“ungreen”).

ungreen means not green. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.

adj

Not green.“The ungreen emerald ring went round and round, and the ungreen emerald earrings swung: Thelma was working at the rim of her glass, too.”
Having little or no vegetation or plant matter.“It is funny for the seaside, it looks such a “house-ified' place, it's an ungreen seaside.”
Lacking sap or vitality; desiccated.“The sheriff of Norfolk had power to search for and seize any "sound, dry, and ungreen" wood which he could find, and send the same to the Fletchers or arrow makers to be made into sheaves, tipped with steel heads according to a pattern in the Tower of London.”
Environmentally unfriendly; harmful to or inconsiderate of the environment.“There are green products packaged in ungreen ways. Ungreen products wrapped in green ways. Green products from ungreen companies. And green companies making ungreen products.”

verb

To expose to air after dyeing in indigo so that the greenish color fades away.“When necessary to air and ungreen, by drawing the pulley the frame rises, and the cloth drains into the vat.”
To make or become familiar with and adept in handling a new environment.“Freshmen are called greens, and a ceremony was (and perhaps is) used in ungreening them, and admitting them to their full academical privileges.”
To change from green to some other color, as occurs with leaves in the autumn.“Harvests are congratulated She is pleased with the sight, Sweet hard apples and Small ungreening leaves.”
To urbanize or become less environmentally friendly.“John Robinson, in “Highways and Our Environment," complains that the highway system not only has disfigured our countryside by slapping down acres of concrete that threatens to ungreen America, but also carries an increasing number of cars that further befoul the environment by thrusting more pollutants into the air.”