wild ginger

noun

: any of a genus (Asarum) of perennial low-growing herbs of the birthwort family with an aromatic rhizome and usually cordate leaves

Examples of wild ginger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The aromatic stems of wild ginger, called tepus; baskets of juicy sago worm, known as ulat mulong; and bunches of twirling jungle fern, or midin, found in Kuching’s wet markets barely scratch the surface, said Mina Trang-Witte, 65. Rebecca Tan, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 Alfredo Payaguaje, a Secoya herbalist, described the functions of each plant—an herb called umu’co, or cat’s claw, to help with fever; a wild ginger to relieve a cough; the bitter bark of the cinchona tree, full of quinine, to alleviate inflammation. Rachel Riederer, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2020 If native ferns and wildflowers such as bloodroot, wild ginger, trillium, and foamflower thrive in your shade garden, conditions are probably good for ginseng. Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Dec. 2022 Majid spent weeks with them foraging for wild ginger, and toddling across broad river stones as butterflies that looked as big as dragons swooped overhead. Abigail Tucker, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Sep. 2022 See all Example Sentences for wild ginger 

Word History

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wild ginger was in 1804

Dictionary Entries Near wild ginger

Cite this Entry

“Wild ginger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wild%20ginger. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

wild ginger

noun
: a North American perennial herb of the genus Asarum (A. canadense) whose dried rhizome is used in pharmacology see asarum sense 2

More from Merriam-Webster on wild ginger

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!