greenskinned

Greenskinned is an English descriptive term used to refer to beings whose skin color is green, most often in fantasy and science fiction. It functions as an adjective (greenskinned elf or greenskinned alien) and, in some stylized usages, as a noun referring to such beings.

In fiction, greenskinned characters may owe their coloration to pigment-based biology, magical transformation, exposure to radiation or mutagens, or deliberate design choices by the author. Green skin can carry symbolic associations, including nature or vitality, alien otherness, toxicity, or ceremonial significance, depending on the work and its worldbuilding.

Orthography and usage vary. The more common form in standard prose is green-skinned (hyphenated). The closed form greenskinned appears in some titles, character names, or stylistic contexts and can affect readability. Writers choose the form to suit tone and house style.

In culture and media, greenskinned characters appear across novels, comics, film, and games, often as a visual shorthand to distinguish non-human or supernatural beings. As with other color-based descriptors, the usage reflects artistic conventions and cultural associations rather than a single universal standard.

See also: blue-skinned, purple-skinned, green skin (mythology), color symbolism in fiction.