ginseng

noun

gin·seng | \ ˈjin-ˌseŋ

, -ˌsiŋ\

Definition of ginseng

1a : a Chinese perennial herb (Panax ginseng synonym P. schinseng of the family Araliaceae, the ginseng family) having five leaflets on each leaf, scarlet berries, and an aromatic root used in herbal medicine especially in eastern Asia

b : any of several plants related to ginseng especially : a North American herb (P. quinquefolius)

2 : the root of a ginseng

Examples of ginseng in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There's also ginseng, which contains the same amino acids found in collagen. — Glamour, "This Moisturizer Instantly Gives Me Dewy Dumpling Skin," 11 Mar. 2019 American ginseng now retails for around $120 per pound—1,700 times as expensive as U.S. corn. — Chuin-wei Yap, WSJ, "Chinese Tariffs Take Root in American Ginseng," 25 Apr. 2018 To put it in perspective, cosmetic chemist Ginger King compares ginseng to good ole coffee. — Devon Abelman, Allure, "Why You’re Seeing Ginseng in So Many Korean Skin-Care Products Right Now," 8 Mar. 2019 Orange, grapefruit, ginseng and vitamin C uplift and refresh first thing in the morning, elixirjuice.com. — Alexandra Tunell, Harper's BAZAAR, "10 Best Juices to Try in New York City," 12 Feb. 2015 Further, Gou himself, and his family, use ginseng, Hsu said. — Rick Romell, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Before leaving Wisconsin, Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou visits a ginseng farm and a supper club near Wausau," 3 July 2018 Fans of the sparkling water craze will love this — Recess, a sparkling water beverage infused with CBD and other buzzy ingredients (including ginseng, L-theanine, and Schisandra), aims to refresh you on both a physical and mental level. — Allure, "12 CBD Tinctures, Gummies, and Drinks That Help Calm Anxiety," 23 Oct. 2018 Some, like ashwagandha and ginseng, have been long used and studied as healing substances in ayurvedic and Chinese medicine respectively. — Cheryl Wischhover, Vox, "Adaptogenic dusts, oils, and pills have a veneer of science, but there’s not much evidence to back them up.," 2 Nov. 2018 An annual lottery for permits to harvest valuable ginseng in North Carolina's mountain national forests will begin June 4. — Bruce Henderson, charlotteobserver, "Lottery set for 'green gold' in NC hills," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ginseng.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

18 May 2019

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The first known use of ginseng was in 1654

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More Definitions for ginseng

ginseng

noun

English Language Learners Definition of ginseng

: a Chinese herb that is used as a medicine

See the full definition for ginseng in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ginseng

noun

gin·seng | \ ˈjin-ˌseŋ

, -ˌsaŋ

, -(ˌ)siŋ

Medical Definition of ginseng

1a : a Chinese perennial herb (Panax ginseng synonym P. schinseng of the family Araliaceae, the ginseng family) having 5-foliolate leaves, scarlet berries, and an aromatic root valued especially locally as a medicine

b : any of several plants (especially genus Panax) related to or used as substitutes for the Chinese ginseng especially : a North American woodland herb (P. quinquefolius)

2 : the aromatic root of a ginseng that is used in herbal medicine especially in eastern Asia