- Unlike its 2 common meanings, "somehing not ready yet" and "something green, e.g. spaces/vegetables", in my FWIS class (142 001 F19, "Water and Cities") we use this word in phrases like "the degree of greenness", just to name the characteristic (the more green - the more clean in ecological sense) of a certain city. This meaning of the word involves a metaphor; therefore, it differs from 2 traditional meanings ("something green" involves metonymy, "something not ready yet" - a metaphor of a different kind, connected with green fruits perceived as not ready for harvesting): "green" in this meaning implies "healthy", "closer to nature" because of the traditional color of a nature landscape. The additional new meaning I missed ("We have to rate the greenness of the various buildings on campus." - Dr. Kemmer) is distinctive from the more general “ecological advancement”. It has more to do with energy efficiency and waste management during any production processes, which also affects the ecology.
Greenness
noun; derivation
A characteristic of a city, which reflects the state of its ecology.
Etymology : The word "greenness" is derived from the adjective "green" with the noun suffix "-ness".
Source : "The greenness of Houston is relatively high" - one of my FWIS classmates, 10/3/2019.
Last modified: 6 December 2019