Ginger

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈdʒɪndÊ’É™/, /ˈgɪŋə/ (person with red hair)
• US IPA: /ˈdʒɪndÊ’Éš/
• Rhymes: -ɪndÊ’É™(ɹ)

Middle English gingere, alteration of gingivere, from late Old English gingifer, gingiber (influenced by Old French gingibre), from Medieval Latin gingiber, zingeber, from Latin zingiberi, from Late Greek ζιγγίβερις, from Middle Indic (cf. Pali , Sanskrit शृङ्गवेर) (influenced by शृङ्गं ‘horn’), from Old Tamil (iṅci) (vēr), literally, ‘ginger root’ (mod. Tamil இஞ்சி (iṅci, "ginger") வேர் (ver, "root")).

Full definition of ginger

Noun

1. The pungent aromatic rhizome of a tropical Asian herb, ), used as a spice and as a stimulant and acarminative.
2. The plant that produces this rhizome.
3. Other species belonging to the same family, Zingiberaceae, especially those of the genus Zingiber
4. A reddish-brown colour/color.
5. (colloquial, countable) A person with reddish-brown hair; a redhead.
6. (colloquial, uncountable) vitality, vigour, liveliness (of character)

Derived terms

Adjective

1. (of hair) Of a reddish-brown colour.
2. Flavoured with ginger.

Verb

1. To add ginger to.
2. To enliven, to spice (up).
• 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 886: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.
3. To apply ginger to the anus of a horse to encourage it to carry its tail high and move in a lively fashion.

Derived terms

• ginger up

Related terms

• galangal

Verb

1. To move gingerly.
• 1972 September 1, Paul Hemphill, “‘I Gotta Let the Kid Go’”, in Life (magazine), ISSN 0024-3019, Volume 73, Number 9, page 42: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.
• 1979, Bill Marshall, Bukom, Longman, ISBN 9780582642232, page 83:She gingered her way into the river and timidly splashed into its waters.
• 1992, Donald Anderson, “My Name Is Stephen Mann”, in Aethlon, reprinted in Fire Road, University of Iowa Press (2001), ISBN 978-0-87745-778-7, page 11:I gingered my hands into my grandfather’s boxing gloves.
• 2009, Montana Kid Hammer, The Old West Adventures of Ornery and Slim: The Partnership, AuthorHouse, ISBN 978-1-4389-1998-0, page 47:Takin’ good care not to topple into the depths o’ this muddy ol’ ooze, I gingered my way across the muddy path along the river’s edge until I arrived at that big hat.

Related terms

• gingerly

Cockney rhyming slang: ginger beer = queer

Noun

1. (UK, Cockney rhyming slang) a homosexual.

Adjective

1. (UK, Cockney rhyming slang) homosexual.

Anagrams

• nigger