What does "ginger" mean?
The pungent aromatic rhizome of a tropical Asian herb, Zingiber officinale, used as a spice and as a stimulant and acarminative.
Ginger
/ˈd͡ʒɪnd͡ʒɚ/ adj, adv, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, adv, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The pungent aromatic rhizome of a tropical Asian herb, Zingiber officinale, used as a spice and as a stimulant and acarminative.
- Grammar: ginger is listed as adj, adv, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: aggressiveness, aromatic, auburn, bang.
- Useful contrasts: bland, brunet, brunette.
- Usage evidence: Graters are good for cheese, potatoes, ginger, and other things you might need little shreds of.
How to use "ginger"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ginger" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ginger" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ginger" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ginger" is acting as adj, adv, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The pungent aromatic rhizome of a tropical Asian herb, Zingiber officinale, used as a spice and as a stimulant and acarminative. countable, uncountable
- 2 A homosexual. Cockney, UK, slang
- 3 liveliness and energy wordnet
- 4 The plant that produces this rhizome. countable, uncountable
- 5 pungent rhizome of the common ginger plant; used fresh as a seasoning especially in Asian cookery wordnet
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 Other species belonging to the same family, Zingiberaceae, especially those of the genus Zingiber countable, uncountable
- 7 dried ground gingerroot wordnet
- 8 A reddish-brown color. countable, uncountable
- 9 perennial plants having thick branching aromatic rhizomes and leafy reedlike stems wordnet
- 10 A person with reddish hair; a redhead. colloquial, countable, derogatory, often
- 11 Vitality, vigour, liveliness (of character). colloquial, uncountable
"The position in the country and in this House might be well expressed by a reference to the recent activities of the ginger party in Great Britain — the party that demanded that more ginger be put into the conduct of the war."
- 12 Ginger ale, or can or bottle of such (especially if dry). colloquial, countable, uncountable
"Can you buy dry ginger in Croatia? If not what is an alternative?"
- 13 Any fizzy soft drink, or can or bottle of such; pop; soda. Scotland, colloquial, countable, uncountable
"Here’s, um, not toast but bread, anyway. And a can of ginger."
Verb
- 1 To add ginger to. transitive
"They gingered the biscotti, black and whited the cookies and oated the meals."
- 2 To move gingerly, in a very careful and cautious manner.
"Spring training began on Christmas Day, when my cousin and I gingered onto the lot behind the fire station to try out our new spikes."
- 3 add ginger to in order to add flavor wordnet
- 4 To enliven, to spice (up). idiomatic, transitive
"The accident was an excuse merely to replace an old-fashioned regular with old-fashioned notions by an active, fire-eating young general who would ginger things up."
- 5 To apply ginger to the anus of a horse to encourage it to carry its tail high and move in a lively fashion. transitive
"If he had been gingered, he would have gone well. After I bought him, I gingered him."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To inspire (someone); to give a little boost to. Nigeria, transitive
"These steps may not be immediately popular, but the society may have to bear with them until they succeed in gingering renewed interest and pride in the language so chosen."
Adjective
- 1 Of a reddish-brown color.
"My eyes track upwards past the shoes to a pair of skinny legs, skinnier than mine, then to a tight black mini. Above that is a crisp white shirt. And crowning the whole thing is a mop of the gingerest hair I’ve ever seen in my life."
- 2 Very careful or cautious; also, delicate, sensitive. British, Canada, US, regional
"He’s going to get an interview about ten o’clock, making the old gentleman predict war, and we’ll get out the gingerest kind of a special on the strength of it!"
- 3 Homosexual. Cockney, UK, not-comparable, slang
- 4 Having hair or fur of this color.
"a ginger tomcat"
Adjective
- 1 (used especially of hair or fur) having a bright orange-brown color wordnet
Adverb
- 1 In a very careful or cautious manner; also, delicately, sensitively.
Proper Noun
- 1 A female given name from English and nickname. Popularized by actress Ginger Rogers
- 2 A male nickname. rare
- 3 A given name for animals having ginger- or orange-coloured fur or feathers.
Example
"Graters are good for cheese, potatoes, ginger, and other things you might need little shreds of."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ginger"?
Common synonyms include: aggressiveness, aromatic, auburn, bang, bite, briskness.
How do you use "ginger" in a sentence?
Graters are good for cheese, potatoes, ginger, and other things you might need little shreds of.
How do you pronounce "ginger"?
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒɪnd͡ʒɚ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Etymology tree Old Tamil 𑀇𑀜𑁆𑀘𑀺 (iñci) Proto-Dravidian *wēr Old Tamil 𑀯𑁂𑀭𑁆 (vēr) Old Tamil 𑀇𑀜𑁆𑀘𑀺𑀯𑁂𑀭𑁆 (iñcivēr)bor. Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀲𑀺𑀁𑀕𑀺𑀯𑁂𑀭 (siṃgivera)der. Ancient Greek ζιγγίβερις (zingíberis)bor. Late Latin zingiberi Late Latin gingiberbor. Proto-West Germanic *gingiberō Old English gingifer ▲ Old French gingembreinflu. Middle English gingivere Middle English gingere English ginger 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”)).
Etymology 2
Back-formation from gingerly (adverb).
Etymology 3
Cockney rhyming slang: ginger beer, queer.
Etymology 4
A diminutive of Virginia; also a nickname for someone or something with ginger-coloured hair.