ginger
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈdʒɪndʒə/
ipa: /ˈd͡ʒɪnd͡ʒɚ/
rhymes: -ɪndʒə(ɹ)
other: /ˈɡɪŋə/
Forms: form: gingers
form: gingering
form: gingered
form: gingered
Etymology: Etymology tree
Old Tamil 𑀇𑀜𑁆𑀘𑀺 (iñci)
Proto-Dravidian *wēr
Old Tamil 𑀯𑁂𑀭𑁆 (vēr)
Old Tamil 𑀇𑀜𑁆𑀘𑀺𑀯𑁂𑀭𑁆 (iñcivēr)bor.
Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀲𑀺𑀁𑀕𑀺𑀯𑁂𑀭 (siṃgivera)der.
Ancient Greek ζιγγίβερις (zingíberis)bor.
Late Latin zingiberi
Late Latin gingiberbor.
Proto-West Germanic *gingiberō
Old English gingifer
Late Latin gingiber
Old French gingembreinflu.
Middle English gingivere
Middle English gingere
English ginger
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”)).
Senses: examples: text: They gingered the biscotti, black and whited the cookies and oated the meals.
ref: 2009, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar:
text: The first breather of the day came when Naomi brought some gingered lemonade out to the barn.
ref: 2013, Suzanne Woods Fisher, The Letters (The Inn at Eagle Hill Book #1): A Novel:
glosses: To add ginger to.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber, published 2004, page 886:
text: Before an action began, he liked to make bold predictions as to its outcome; this was part of his way of gingering people up, of creating an aura of victory to come.
ref: 2004, Eric Larrabee, Commander in Chief: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, His Lieutenants, and Their War, page 464:
text: Regarding this human angle, DeMille wrote, "I am sometimes accused of gingering up the Bible with large and lavish infusions of sex and violence. I can only wonder if my accusers have ever read certain parts of the Bible."
ref: 2007, J. Stephen Lang, The Bible on the Big Screen: A Guide from Silent Films to Today's Movies:
glosses: To enliven, to spice (up).
examples: text: If he had been gingered, he would have gone well. After I bought him, I gingered him.
ref: 1850, William Percivall, editor, The Veterinarian, page 594:
text: Gingering is decided cruelty.
ref: 1884, The British Veterinary Journal, volume 18, page 426:
text: There he is, moving in his best form, with the full knowledge that that long whip in his rear will once more be round his flanks, as it has often been before, if he fails to wake up when he comes out for a show—well gingered, too, we should say, and all life and action.
ref: 1893, Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes, volume 60, page 161:
glosses: To apply ginger to the anus of a horse to encourage it to carry its tail high and move in a lively fashion.
examples: text: These steps may not be immediately popular, but the society may have to bear with them until they succeed in gingering renewed interest and pride in the language so chosen.
ref: 2002, K. K. Prah, Rehabilitating African Languages:
text: In conclusion, intensive campaigns should be done in relation to gingering the nomads' interest in education, improve their interaction with neighbours and encourage them to start considering a more sedentary pastoral life.
ref: 2006, Africa e Mediterraneo: cultura, politica, economia, società:
text: I attended their concert first, so that was what gingered me to continue this school.
ref: 2015, “19-year-old student at a music school in Nigeria”, in BBC Newshour:
glosses: To inspire (someone); to give a little boost to.
Derived terms: ginger up
Related terms: galangal
feague
parkin
redhead
shandy
shandygaff
turmeric