ginger
UK /ˈdʒɪndʒə/ · US /ˈd͡ʒɪnd͡ʒɚ/ noun, adjective, verb, adverb, proper noun
Forms gingers gingerer gingerest gingering gingered
- noun The pungent aromatic rhizome of a tropical Asian herb, Zingiber officinale, used as a spice and as a stimulant and acarminative.
- noun The plant that produces this rhizome.
- noun Other species belonging to the same family, Zingiberaceae, especially those of the genus Zingiber
- noun A reddish-brown color.
- noun (colloquial, often derogatory, countable) A person with reddish hair; a redhead.
- noun (colloquial, uncountable) Vitality, vigour, liveliness (of character).
- noun (colloquial, countable and uncountable) Ginger ale, or can or bottle of such (especially if dry).
- noun (colloquial, Scotland, especially Glasgow, countable and uncountable) Any fizzy soft drink, or can or bottle of such; pop; soda.
- adjective (of hair or fur) Of a reddish-brown color.
- adjective Having hair or fur of this color.
- verb (transitive) To add ginger to.
- verb (idiomatic, transitive) To enliven, to spice (up).
- verb (transitive) To apply ginger to the anus of a horse to encourage it to carry its tail high and move in a lively fashion.
- verb (Nigeria, transitive) To inspire (someone); to give a little boost to.
- adjective (chiefly UK, regional, Canada, US) Very careful or cautious; also, delicate, sensitive.
- adverb In a very careful or cautious manner; also, delicately, sensitively.
- verb To move gingerly, in a very careful and cautious manner.
- noun (UK, Cockney rhyming slang) A homosexual.
- adjective (UK, Cockney rhyming slang) Homosexual.
- proper noun A female given name from English and nickname. Popularized by actress Ginger Rogers
Synonyms
gingerish gingerly powdered ginger gingerroot pep peppiness gingery
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English gingere, alteration of gingivere, from Old English gingifer, gingiber (influenced by Old French gingembre), from Medieval Latin gingiber, zingiber, from Latin zingiberi, from Late Ancient Greek ζιγγίβερις (zingíberis), from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀲𑀺𑀁𑀕𑀺𑀯𑁂𑀭 (siṃgivera), ultimately from Old Tamil 𑀇𑀜𑁆𑀘𑀺𑀯𑁂𑀭𑁆 (iñcivēr), a compound of 𑀇𑀜𑁆𑀘𑀺 (iñci, “ginger”) and 𑀯𑁂𑀭𑁆 (vēr, “root”) (compare modern Tamil இஞ்சிவேர் (iñcivēr), from இஞ்சி (iñci, “ginger”) + வேர் (vēr, “root”)).
Back-formation from gingerly (adverb).
Cockney rhyming slang: ginger beer, queer.
A diminutive of Virginia; also a nickname for someone or something with ginger-coloured hair.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A plant of the genus Zingiber, of the East and West Indies. The species most known is Z. officinale.
- noun The hot and spicy rootstock of Zingiber officinale, which is much used in cookery and in medicine. Ginger beer or ale, a mild beer impregnated with ginger.
Etymology [OE. ginger, gingever, gingivere, OF. gengibre, gingimbre, F. gingembre, L. zingiber, zingiberi, fr. Gr. zenjebil, fr. Skr. , prop., hornshaped; horn + vëra body.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ginger”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details