Etymology

greenery-yallery

Today it means: Pertaining to the colors green and yellow as used in the style of late-nineteenth-century Aestheticism; hence, typical of Aestheticism; affected. Full definition →

First used 19th c.
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The story

From green + -ery + yaller (pronunciation spelling of yellow) + -y.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. Pertaining to the colors green and yellow as used in the style of late-nineteenth-century Aestheticism; hence, typical of Aestheticism; affected.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.