1
a(1)
: a thickened pungent aromatic rhizome that is used as a spice and sometimes medicinally
(2)
: the spice usually prepared by drying and grinding ginger
b
: any of a genus (Zingiber of the family Zingiberaceae, the ginger family) of herbs with pungent aromatic rhizomes
especially
: a widely cultivated tropical herb (Z. officinale) that supplies most commercial ginger compare wild ginger
2
: pep
the ginger to … work hard—
Willa Cather
Willa Cather3
a
: a light reddish or reddish-brown color
ginger hair
b
chiefly British, sometimes offensive
: a person with red hair : redhead sense 1
The Breda Redhead Days festival—which grew out of a photo shoot by Dutch artist Bart Rouwenhorst—now attracts five or six thousand gingers from around the world.—Bruce Ingram
Bruce Ingram
gingered; gingering
ˈjin-jə-riŋ 
ˈjinj-
: to make lively : pep up
ginger up the tourist trade—The New York Times
The New York TimesSynonyms
Examples of ginger in a Sentence
Noun
The recipe calls for a teaspoon of ginger.
a 60-year-old with the ginger to consider skydiving lessons
Verb
find some human-interest anecdotes that will ginger up this news article on the recent downturn in the economy
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Klein, Philly.com, 19 July 2017
Slice banana bread diagonally and place on top of ginger crème anglaise.
—Nancy Miller, The Courier-Journal, 4 July 2017
Their line of cans range from a spicy ginger-beer and rum to a gin and tonic infused with crisp cucumber and grapefruit.
—Hillary Eaton, Fortune, 17 June 2017
Their Tung Po pork belly arrives in the petite lidded pot it’s cooked in, kept warm over a candle that continues to thicken and caramelize the dark, ginger and soy sauce.
—Providence Cicero, The Seattle Times, 15 June 2017
See all Example Sentences for ginger 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Mixmaster Charles Griffin’s uses Pimm’s No. 1, lemonade, fruits and club soda, vs. the more familiar 7Up or ginger ale.
—Michael Klein, Philly.com, 19 July 2017
Slice banana bread diagonally and place on top of ginger crème anglaise.
—Nancy Miller, The Courier-Journal, 4 July 2017
Their line of cans range from a spicy ginger-beer and rum to a gin and tonic infused with crisp cucumber and grapefruit.
—Hillary Eaton, Fortune, 17 June 2017
Their Tung Po pork belly arrives in the petite lidded pot it’s cooked in, kept warm over a candle that continues to thicken and caramelize the dark, ginger and soy sauce.
—Providence Cicero, The Seattle Times, 15 June 2017
See all Example Sentences for ginger
Articles Related to ginger
Dictionary Entries Near ginger
Cite this Entry
“Ginger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ginger. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ginger
noun
gin·ger
ˈjin-jər
1
a
: a thickened pungent aromatic rhizome that is used as a spice and sometimes in medicine
b
: the spice usually prepared by drying and grinding ginger
2
: any of a genus (Zingiber of the family Zingiberaceae, the ginger family) of herbs with pungent aromatic rhizomes
especially
: a widely cultivated tropical herb (Z. officinale) that supplies most of the ginger of commerce
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share