Ginger

Ginger, jin′jėr, n. the root of a plant in the East and West Indies, with a hot and spicy taste, useful as a condiment or stomachic.—ns. Gingerade′, an aerated drink flavoured with ginger; Gin′gerbeer, an effervescent drink flavoured with ginger; Gin′gerbread, sweet bread flavoured with ginger; Gin′ger-cor′dial, a cordial made of ginger, lemon-peel, raisins, water, and sometimes spirits; Gin′gernut, a small cake flavoured with ginger and sweetened with molasses.—adj. Gin′gerous, like ginger.—ns. Gin′gerpop, weak gingerbeer; Gin′gersnap, a thin brittle cake spiced with ginger; Gin′ger-wine, a liquor made by the fermentation of sugar and water, and flavoured with various spices, chiefly ginger.—Gingerbread ware, or work, cheap and tawdry ornamental work.—Take the gilt off the gingerbread, to destroy the illusion. [M. E. gingivere—O. Fr. gengibre—L. zingiber—Gr. zingiberis—Sans. çriñga-vera—çriñga, horn, vera, shape.]