ginkgo

noun

gink·​go ˈgiŋ-(ˌ)kō 

 also  ˈgiŋk-(ˌ)gō

variants or less commonly gingko

plural ginkgoes or ginkgos also gingkos or gingkoes

1

: a gymnospermous dioecious tree (Ginkgo biloba) of eastern China that is widely grown as an ornamental or shade tree and has fan-shaped leaves and foul-smelling yellowish fleshy seed coats

called also maidenhair tree

2

: ginkgo biloba

Did you know?

There is only one living representative of the gymnosperm order Ginkgoales, and that is the tree Ginkgo biloba. Native to China, the ginkgo has existed for some 250 million years and is often termed a living fossil. It has long been planted in Chinese and Japanese temple gardens, and is valued in many parts of the world as an attractive, fungus- and insect-resistant ornamental tree. It tolerates cold weather and can survive the adverse atmospheric conditions of urban areas. The light-colored wood, is soft and weak and has little economic value. The leaves are fan-shaped and leathery. The silvery nut, when roasted, is considered a delicacy. Studies have suggested that ginkgo supplements can enhance memory function in the elderly and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Examples of ginkgo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, a genus can also be monotypic, containing only one single, unique species such as a narwhal, ginkgo tree or platypus. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025

The giant ginkgo doesn’t change much, but everything around it does, and Enyedi seems determined to show us how fragile, and culturally contingent our idea of reality, really is. —Leila Latif, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025

The latter, obsessed with a mysterious ginkgo tree in a botanical garden, is played by Tony Leung Chiu-wai, acting in his first European film. —Marta Balaga, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025

Silent Friend stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Luna Wedler, Enzo Brumm and Seydoux and intertwines three time periods, set in the heart of a botanical garden in a medieval university town in Germany where a majestic ginkgo tree stands. —Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Ginkgo, from Japanese ginkyō

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ginkgo

• ginkgo biloba

Rhymes for ginkgo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

ginkgo

noun

gink·​go

variants also gingko

ˈgiŋ-kō 

 also  ˈgiŋk-gō

plural ginkgoes or ginkgos

: a large Chinese tree with fan-shaped leaves and bad-smelling fruit that is often grown as a shade tree