ginger Meaning & Definition
What Does Ginger Mean?
Ginger is a noun that means The pungent aromatic rhizome of a tropical Asian herb, Zingiber officinale, used as a spice and as a stimulant and acarminative. It is also used to mean The plant that produces this rhizome. As an adjective, it means Of a reddish-brown color. As a verb, it means To add ginger to.
Ginger at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun, adjective, verb, adverb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈdʒɪndʒə// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | colorful, peppiness and gingery |
| Plural | gingers |
| Comparative / superlative | more ginger, most ginger |
| Verb forms | gingers, gingering, gingered |
Ginger Definition (Noun)
- The pungent aromatic rhizome of a tropical Asian herb, Zingiber officinale, used as a spice and as a stimulant and acarminative.
- The plant that produces this rhizome.
- Other species belonging to the same family, Zingiberaceae, especially those of the genus Zingiber.
- A reddish-brown color.
ginger:
- A person with reddish hair; a redhead.
- Vitality, vigour, liveliness (of character).
- Ginger ale, or can or bottle of such (especially if dry).
- Any fizzy soft drink, or can or bottle of such; pop; soda.
Ginger as an Adjective
- Of a reddish-brown color.
- Having hair or fur of this color.
a ginger tomcat
Ginger as a Verb
- To add ginger to.
- To enliven, to spice (up).
- To apply ginger to the anus of a horse to encourage it to carry its tail high and move in a lively fashion.
- To inspire (someone); to give a little boost to.
Adjective
- Very careful or cautious; also, delicate, sensitive.
Ginger as an Adverb
- In a very careful or cautious manner; also, delicately, sensitively.
Verb
- To move gingerly, in a very careful and cautious manner.
Noun
- A homosexual.
Adjective
- Homosexual.
Noun
- A person with reddish-brown hair; a redhead.
Adjective
- (of hair) Of a reddish-brown colour.
Verb
- To move gingerly, very careful and cautious.
Adjective
- Sensitive, delicate.
Synonyms of Ginger
Ginger synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Ginger
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Ginger in a Sentence
ginger:
a ginger tomcat
Word Forms & Grammar
ginger (countable and uncountable, plural gingers)
ginger (comparative more ginger or (rare) gingerer, superlative most ginger or (rare) gingerest)
ginger (third-person singular simple present gingers, present participle gingering, simple past and past participle gingered)
ginger (comparative more ginger, superlative most ginger)
ginger (plural gingers)
ginger (not comparable)
Words That Rhyme With Ginger
Origin of Ginger
Origin 1: 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”)).
Origin 2: Back-formation from gingerly (adverb).[1]
Origin 3: Cockney rhyming slang: ginger beer, queer.
How Do You Say Ginger?
Ginger is pronounced //ˈdʒɪndʒə// and has 1 syllable.
Quick Answers About Ginger
Is ginger a noun or an adjective?
Ginger is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as an adjective, a verb and an adverb.
What is another word for ginger?
Words with a similar meaning to ginger include colorful, peppiness and gingery. See the full list of ginger synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of ginger?
The plural of ginger is gingers.
What is the past tense of ginger?
The past tense of ginger is gingered. The present participle is gingering.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of ginger?
The comparative form is more ginger and the superlative form is most ginger.