City (pop., 2000: 223,891), north-central North Carolina, U.S. Established in 1808 as the county seat, it was named for Gen. Nathanael Greene. Toward the end of the American Civil War, Greensboro was the temporary capital of both the Confederacy and North Carolina. It is a large wholesale distribution point and an important insurance centre. Textiles dominate its diversified industries. It is the site of several colleges and universities