WordGarden.iogingery
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /dʒˈɪndʒəri/
US
- /ˈdʒɪndʒəri/
Meanings
Adjective
flavored with ginger or tasting like ginger
reddish-orange or reddish-brown in color
lively, sharp, or piquant in style or manner
Beyond the definition
"Gingery" describes something that tastes or smells like ginger: warm, a little spicy, and fresh. You might talk about a gingery cookie, sauce, tea, or curry. It can also describe a reddish-brown or ginger-like color, especially in hair, fur, or a beard. If something has the flavor, smell, or color of ginger, calling it "gingery" makes sense. The word has a warm, lively feel, but it is mostly used for taste, smell, and color.
The word "gingery" is used for things that remind you of ginger in flavor, smell, or color. At its heart, it means having qualities of ginger: a warm, slightly hot, fresh smell or taste, or the reddish-brown shade linked with ginger hair. A dish described as "gingery" usually contains ginger or tastes strongly of it. You might have a gingery sauce with fish, a gingery biscuit, or a gingery tea that warms you on a cold day.
However, "gingery" is not limited to taste and smell. It can also describe a reddish-brown, ginger-like color. This use often appears with hair, beards, fur, or feathers. Someone might have gingery hair that catches the light, or a dog might have a gingery coat.
The word has a vivid, descriptive feel. It does more than say "spicy" or "brownish-red"; it points more exactly to the special warmth and character of ginger. In everyday English, though, it is mainly used in clear, physical ways: for foods and drinks with a ginger taste or smell, and for hair or other things with a ginger-like color. Whether you are describing a recipe or a person's beard, "gingery" adds a clear sense of warmth, spice, and color.
Examples
- 1
Baking smell
The kitchen smelled warm and gingery as the cookies baked.
- 2
Food flavor
I liked the sauce, but the gingery aftertaste was a little too strong for me.
- 3
Hair color
He had a short, gingery beard that made him easy to spot in the crowd.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- gingeryadjective