Did You Know?
On this, the Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox, those of us who've suffered through a long, cold winter welcome the coming verdure. English speakers have had the use of the word "verdure" since the 14th century, when it made its way into Middle English from Anglo-French. Like the more common "verdant," the word traces back to Latin "virēre," meaning "to be green." Since the early 16th century, "verdure" has also been used to refer to a kind of tapestry with a design based on plant forms. The "verdure" that English speakers sometimes encounter on menus is Italian; in that language "verdure" refers to green vegetables or to vegetables in general.
