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

Visitors walk dogs, push strollers and even bird-watch among the Chinese elms and rare ginkgo trees. —Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 15 June 2025

Designed by architect and educator Marina Tabassum and her studio, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), the Pavilion centers on a courtyard built around a semi-mature, climate-resilient ginkgo tree, its axis aligned with the bell tower of the neighboring Serpentine South gallery. —Nargess Banks, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

Such benefits are most commonly associated with ginkgo's high concentration of a type of antioxidant known as flavonoids — which are known to neutralize damage related to free radicals. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2025

The ginkgo tree endured mass extinctions and nuclear blasts; an ancient olive in Crete weathered millennia of war and drought. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 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