This compound would seem to originate in the phrase gris et vair ('grey and white'), commonly used to describe the winter fur of the red squirrel which is grey on top and white underneath. The second element of the phrase is vair¹ ('bright, white'; see also menever). It seems that the Anglo-Norman term vair must have been less than transparent, prompting various interpretations. In the case of grisoevere, the second half associates the word with ovre¹ ('work'), which, suggestively, can also be found in Middle English grei werk (grei n.2 (grei werk), 'goods made from gray fur, probably squirrel skins') and medieval Latin as in the phrase grisus opus (see opus sense 15, 2041c) with opus on its own coming to signify 'undressed skin'. A second re-interpretation seems to be Middle English grei and grene (grei n.2 (grei and grene)) where the second element could be seen as a translation of Anglo-Norman vair read as vert¹ ('green'). However, no Anglo-Norman attestations of gris e vert can be found. Middle English grei werk has also been borrowed into Anglo-Norman as greywerk.