ginger

1 of 2

noun

gin·​ger ˈjin-jər How to pronounce ginger (audio)
1
a(1)
: a thickened pungent aromatic rhizome that is used as a spice and sometimes medicinally
(2)
: the spice usually prepared by drying and grinding ginger
b
: any of a genus (Zingiber of the family Zingiberaceae, the ginger family) of herbs with pungent aromatic rhizomes
especially : a widely cultivated tropical herb (Z. officinale) that supplies most commercial ginger compare wild ginger
2
: pep
the ginger to … work hardWilla Cather
3
a
: a light reddish or reddish-brown color
ginger hair
b
chiefly British, sometimes offensive : a person with red hair : redhead sense 1
The Breda Redhead Days festival—which grew out of a photo shoot by Dutch artist Bart Rouwenhorst—now attracts five or six thousand gingers from around the world.Bruce Ingram
gingery
ˈjin-jə-rē How to pronounce ginger (audio)
ˈjinj-
adjective

ginger

2 of 2

verb

gingered; gingering ˈjin-jə-riŋ How to pronounce ginger (audio)
ˈjinj-

transitive verb

: to make lively : pep up
ginger up the tourist tradeThe New York Times

Examples of ginger in a Sentence

Noun The recipe calls for a teaspoon of ginger. a 60-year-old with the ginger to consider skydiving lessons
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Mixmaster Charles Griffin’s uses Pimm’s No. 1, lemonade, fruits and club soda, vs. the more familiar 7Up or ginger ale. Michael Klein, Philly.com, 19 July 2017 Slice banana bread diagonally and place on top of ginger crème anglaise. Nancy Miller, The Courier-Journal, 4 July 2017 Their line of cans range from a spicy ginger-beer and rum to a gin and tonic infused with crisp cucumber and grapefruit. Hillary Eaton, Fortune, 17 June 2017 Their Tung Po pork belly arrives in the petite lidded pot it’s cooked in, kept warm over a candle that continues to thicken and caramelize the dark, ginger and soy sauce. Providence Cicero, The Seattle Times, 15 June 2017 Raw, berry-sized Thai eggplants are snappy, slightly bitter surprises in an earthy green short rib curry, with extra layers of flavor from ginger-like finger root and basil. Jodi Mailander Farrell, miamiherald, 29 June 2017 Signature menu items include a lobster and avocado salad, served with a miso-ginger dressing, and a strip steak. Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, 26 June 2017 Preparation Process shallot, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, jalapeño, coriander, cumin, ½ cup cilantro, and 1 Tbsp. Bon Appetit, 26 June 2017 The vegetable is salted and then usually rubbed with chili powder, garlic, ginger and scallions. Anna Fifield, Washington Post, 22 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ginger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, alteration of Old English gingifer, from Medieval Latin gingiber, alteration of Latin zingiber, from Greek zingiberi, of Indo-Aryan origin; akin to Pali siṅgivēra ginger

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ginger was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ginger

Cite this Entry

“Ginger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ginger. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ginger

noun
gin·​ger
ˈjin-jər
1
a
: a thick underground plant stem that is used especially to make a spice
b
: a spice prepared by drying and grinding ginger
2
: any of a genus of Old World herbs that have thick underground stems and include one supplying most of the ginger used as a spice
3
: high spirit : pep
gingery
ˈjinj-(ə-)rē
adjective

Medical Definition

ginger

noun
gin·​ger ˈjin-jər How to pronounce ginger (audio)
1
a
: a thickened pungent aromatic rhizome that is used as a spice and sometimes in medicine
b
: the spice usually prepared by drying and grinding ginger
2
: any of a genus (Zingiber of the family Zingiberaceae, the ginger family) of herbs with pungent aromatic rhizomes
especially : a widely cultivated tropical herb (Z. officinale) that supplies most of the ginger of commerce

More from Merriam-Webster on ginger

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!