viridity Now rare.
(vɪˈrɪdɪtɪ)
Also 5 vyridite, 6–7 viriditye.
[ad. OF. (also mod.F.) viridité (= It. viridità), or L. viriditāt-, viriditās, f. viridis virid a.]
1. The quality or state of being virid or green; greenness, verdancy. Also in fig. context.
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 78 God Almyghti..Hath florisshed the erthe on every side, The woodes and the medowes wyde, Withe grete habundance of vyridite. 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 29/2 Ther remayneth somtimes a viriditye or greenes about the apertione. Ibid. 53/2 The matter of our woundes resolveth it selfe into viriditye. 1605 J. Dove Confut. Atheism 90 The Bush bore the heat of the fire without losse of viriditye. 1661 Feltham Resolves (ed. 8) ii. lvii. 304 The Soul of Man..was planted in the Element of Vertue, and while 'tis nourisht by it, it spreads and thrives with fruit and fair viridity. 1670 Evelyn Sylva (ed. 2) 238 This deification of their Trees, and amongst other things, for their Age and perennial viridity,..might spring from the manifold use which they afforded. 1875 Sat. Rev. XL. 553/1 To mark more clearly the distinction between black and green tea, the practice has arisen of imparting to the latter ‘an obvious viridity’ by means of various pigmentary substances. |
2. fig. † a. (See quot.) Obs.—0
| 1656 Blount Glossogr. (copying Cooper), Viridity,..lustiness, strength, manliness. [Hence in Phillips, etc.] |
b. = verdancy 2.
| 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. iv, What intellectual viridity that exemplary creature possesses! 1858 Chamb. Jrnl. IX. 99 A desire to extenuate..my dear parent's viridity and trustfulness in the matter. 1859 Helps Friends in C. Ser. ii. I. viii. 264 The next in innocency;—may we say, in viridity? |