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 TimesExamples 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
Jillian Kubala, Health, 24 Mar. 2025
Hiyo, with its unique blend of functional ingredients, including ashwagandha, L-theanine, lion’s mane, lemon balm, passion flower, and ginger, and refreshing flavors, fits seamlessly into this trend, offering consumers a sophisticated alternative for social occasions.
—Douglas Yu, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder, half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, a quarter teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger, and a pinch of black pepper.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 24 Mar. 2025
One slice was vegetarian, thickly layered with masala sauce, paneer, spinach, and eggplant, plus garlic, ginger, green onions, and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.
—Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
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
For a simple salad dressing, mix half a cup of olive oil, a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, half a teaspoon of ground ginger, and a pinch of salt in a glass bowl.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 24 Mar. 2025
Hiyo, with its unique blend of functional ingredients, including ashwagandha, L-theanine, lion’s mane, lemon balm, passion flower, and ginger, and refreshing flavors, fits seamlessly into this trend, offering consumers a sophisticated alternative for social occasions.
—Douglas Yu, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder, half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, a quarter teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger, and a pinch of black pepper.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 24 Mar. 2025
One slice was vegetarian, thickly layered with masala sauce, paneer, spinach, and eggplant, plus garlic, ginger, green onions, and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.
—Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ginger
Cite this Entry
“Ginger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ginger. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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