“Viridescent” is an adjective you’ll likely see only in poetic or literary contexts. It comes directly from the Latin word of the same spelling, meaning “becoming green,” from the Latin word for “green,” “viridis.” As we see from the Latin, “viridescent” isn’t just a shade of green; it’s an adjective that describes something in the process of becoming green. It may be used for shoots of new growth, or shades shifting between hues of yellow or blue to green.