greengrocer

The word 'greengrocer' is a transparent English compound from the 18th century, directly combining 'green' and 'grocer'. 'Green' was used metonymically to refer to fresh vegetables, a sense dating back to Old English. 'Grocer' entered English via French, originally denoting a wholesale dealer in bulk goods. The compound thus logically creates the meaning "a dealer in fresh greens (vegetables and fruit)," distinguishing this retailer from other types of grocers who sold dry or general provisions. Its formation follows a common English pattern of specifying a merchant's trade by the principal commodity sold.

Structure: green (color) + grocer (seller) - green: From Old English 'grēne', of Germanic origin; related to 'grow'. In this compound, it refers to fresh, unripe, or vegetable produce. - grocer: From Anglo-French 'grosser', Old French 'grossier', meaning a wholesale merchant, from 'gros' (large, wholesale). The '-er' suffix denotes an agent noun (a person who does something).