gingerbread

noun

gin·​ger·​bread ˈjin-jər-ˌbred 

1

: a cake whose ingredients include molasses and ginger

2

[from the fancy shapes and gilding formerly often applied to gingerbread] : lavish or superfluous ornament especially in architecture

gingerbread adjective

gingerbreaded

ˈjin-jər-ˌbre-dəd 

adjective

gingerbready

ˈjin-jər-ˌbre-dē 

adjective

Examples of gingerbread in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Specialty flavors include gingerbread, wild blueberry, beignet, chocolate chip, and cinnamon swirl. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025

In fact, the dog's name was even featured on the couple's Halloween gingerbread house in 2022, per The Sun. —Sydni Ellis, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025

And what could be more fun than dressing your entire family in these whimsical Pottery Barn gingerbread pajamas? —Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 22 Oct. 2025

The holiday decor scene is saturated—nutcrackers, gingerbread houses, bow garlands, wreaths, strings of snowflakes, glittery pinecones, and that nativity scene that’s been passed down for generations. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gingerbread

• gingerbread man

Rhymes for gingerbread

• abovesaid
• aforesaid
• arrowhead
• casinghead
• copperhead
• figurehead
• fountainhead
• hammerhead
• infrared
• leatherhead
• letterhead
• loggerhead

Kids Definition

gingerbread

noun

gin·​ger·​bread ˈjin-jər-ˌbred 

1

: a cake made with molasses and flavored with ginger

2

: showy ornamentation especially in architecture

gingerbread adjective