gingerbread

[ jin-jer-bred ]

noun

1. a type of cake flavored with ginger and molasses.
2. a rolled cookie similarly flavored, often cut in fanciful shapes, and sometimes frosted.
3. elaborate, gaudy, or superfluous architectural ornamentation:

   a series of gables embellished with gingerbread.

adjective

1. heavily, gaudily, and superfluously ornamented:

   a gingerbread style of architecture.

gingerbread

/ ˈdʒɪndʒəˌbrɛd /

noun

1. a moist brown cake, flavoured with ginger and treacle or syrup
2. 1. a rolled biscuit, similarly flavoured, cut into various shapes and sometimes covered with icing
   2. ( as modifier )

      gingerbread man

3. 1. an elaborate but unsubstantial ornamentation
   2. ( as modifier )

      gingerbread style of architecture

Other Words From

• ginger·bready adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gingerbread¹

1250–1300; Middle English gingebreed (influenced by breed bread), variant of gingebrad, -brat ginger paste < Old French gingembras, -brat preserved ginger < Medieval Latin *gingi ( m ) brātum a medicinal preparation (neuter past participle), derivative of Latin gingiber ginger

Example Sentences

Her describing it a combination of pumpkin pie and gingerbread also made it sound stupendous.

From Salon

She was named an assistant pastry chef in 2002 and became the executive pastry chef in November 2014 — just in time to sweat over the details of that year’s gingerbread White House for the holidays.

From Seattle Times

“Not the gingerbread you eat. Gingerbread is the name for the carving and scrollwork that decorated the hulls of pirate ships,” said Mom.

From Literature

While he was off writing or working elsewhere, Marina’s parents arranged her marriage to a wealthy gingerbread maker.

From New York Times

This is when families can get pictures with Santa, decorate together, make gingerbread houses and the like.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• accessory
• adornment
• art
• bauble
• embroidery
• flower
• jewel
• knickknack
• treasure
• trinket