English

Noun

greenie ‎(plural greenies)

1. (chiefly Australia, New Zealand, slang, often derogatory) An environmentalist; someone who shows concern for the environment.
   • 2000, Australian Association for Environmental Education, Australian Journal of Environmental Education, Volumes 15-17, page 73,

     People ask me if am I a greenie and I go, ‘No, not in the sense that I chain myself to trees, no I′m not. But in the sense that I am concerned about the environment and do my little bit to help, then yes I am.’

   • 2008, Adeline Catherine Anderson, Morning Light, page 83,

     “What′s a greenie doing with a gas hog like that?”

   • 2009, Sean Dooley, Cooking With Baz, Large Print 16pt Edition, page 25,

     ‘And whadda you want?’ the barman spat at me.

     Above his head was a large sign that read ‘Fertilize the Bush – Doze in a Greenie’. I was dressed in a flannelette shirt and army trousers – exactly like the Greenie protestors they′d been battling the previous year.

2. (Australia, by extension) A member of the Green Party.
3. (US, Wyoming, derogatory, slang) A person from Colorado; after the color of the Colorado license plate.
   • 2007, James Prosek, Joseph Furia, Steven Hayhurst, Joseph Kingsbery, Tight Lines: Ten Years of the Yale Anglers′ Journal, page 140,

     At Alcova, the problem is compounded for the fool or fools when they have greenie license plates and behave like tourists. The growing combative presence in their rear is chalk full of true Wyoming grit.

4. An unripe fruit.
   • 1987, Maxine Kumin, In deep: country essays, page 98:

     In every kitchen arises the acrid tang of green- tomato pickle, chutney, chili; on every south-facing kitchen windowsill the most promising greenies line up to be coaxed ripe.

   • 1995, Michigan Out-of-doors, volume 49, page 239:

     Mid-August, normally prime berry-picking time, came and went. Still too many greenies.

   • 2000, Ken Tate, ‎Janice Tate, Good Old Days Remembers Working on the Farm, page 115:

     The only way I could keep up with the veteran pickers was to pick almost every strawberry in my row — ripe, unripe, overripe or damaged. ... Then he would pay me 2 cents a quart for the good ones and charge me a penny for the "greenies."

5. (US, slang) A beginner, a novice.
   • 1969, Harry Golden, The Right Time: An Autobiography, page 45,

     […] “When the teacher says ‘Good Morning,’ you say, ‘**** You.’ That′s what you say in America.” Sometimes they varied this with “son of a bitch.” Sure enough the greenie parroted these instructions to the merriment of the classroom.

   • 1981, William Albert Wilson, On Being Human: The Folklore of Mormon Missionaries, Volumes 60-66, page 9,

     In California a senior companion offered to demonstrate to his new greenie how he succeeded in placing Books of Mormon in people′s houses. The two of them knocked on a door. A woman answered, and the senior companion threw a book past her into the house and then ran, leaving the greenie to stammer out an explanation to the irate woman.

   • 2001, Marcus Sheridan, Heavenly Father's Angels: The Ultimate Missionary Guide, page 78,

     If you, as a trainer, work to instill a vision in your greenie, his whole mission will be drastically changed.

   • 2004, Robert T Uda, Mission Accomplished, page 90,

     When you become a trainer, be the best trainer a greenie ever had.

   • 2008, Brian D. Krueger, The College Grad Job Hunter, page 207,

     You will probably know pretty quickly if you are dealing with a “greenie” who is reading from a script or a seasoned professional. If it′s a greenie, give him a polite “no thank you” and hang up. But stick with the pro through the entire call.

6. A small, green object or creature.
   • 2014, Carl Hiaasen, Carl Hiaasen Collection: Hoot, Flush, Scat, Chomp:
   1. (US, slang) A tablet of amphetamine.
      • 1992, Michael Y. Sokolove, Hustle: Myth, Life and Lies of Pete Rose, page 79,

        Some players took a greenie before every game.

      • 2010, Aaron Skirboll, The Pittsburgh Cocaine Seven: How a Ragtag Group of Fans Took the Fall for Major League Baseball, page 36,

        Feeling down? Pop a greenie. Had a rough night? Pop a greenie. Long road trip? Double header? Need a base hit? The answer for it all was the same: pop a greenie.

        “Greenies were what everyone was doing,” Koch says.

Synonyms

• (environmentalist): tree hugger
• (novice): greenhorn, tyro
• (amphetamine tablet):

See also

• greeny