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

So did an assortment of frame houses bearing front porches with fancy gingerbread trim and plenty of brownstones and brick homes. —Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 1 July 2025

Crisp, fine and fresh bubbles and balanced flavors include light red and orange fruit, cherry juice and gingerbread. —Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025

Here are the top ten gingerbread displays hosted by some of America’s beloved hotels. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Christmas-y gingerbread sticks to the countertop, and the rugelach — a sweet Jewish holiday treat — accidentally goes into the oven without the cinnamon sugar topping. —Chloe Veltman, NPR, 23 Dec. 2024

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