green room
Preserved but no longer current.
The common waiting-room beyond the stage at a theatre for the performers ; so called because at one time the walls were coloured green to relieve the eyes affected by the glare of the stage lights.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “green room” mean?
The common waiting-room beyond the stage at a theatre for the performers ; so called because at one time the walls were coloured green to relieve the eyes affected by the glare of the stage lights.
Is “green room” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.