GINGER

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, alteration of Old English gingifer, from Medieval Latin gingiber, alteration of Latin zingiber, from Greek zingiberi, of Indo-Aryan origin; akin to Pali siṅgivēra ~ Date: before 12th century 1. a. a thickened pungent aromatic rhizome that is used as a spice and sometimes medicinally, the spice usually prepared by drying and grinding ~, any of a genus ( Zingiber of the family Zingiberaceae, the ~ family) of herbs with pungent aromatic rhizomes, pep , a light reddish or reddish-brown color , ~y adjective II. transitive verb (~ed; ~ing) Date: 1849 to make lively ; pep up