gingerly

English

Etymology

(1510) Maybe from Old French gensor, comparative of gent (“nice, kind, pretty”), from Latin gentius (“well-born”)

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /ˈdʒɪn.dʒər.li/

Adverb

gingerly (comparative more gingerly, superlative most gingerly)

1. Gently; in a delicate or cautious manner.

   He placed the glass jar gingerly on the concrete step.

Translations

gently

Bulgarian: внимателен (bg), предпазлив (bg) Chinese: 轻手轻脚 (qīngshǒuqīngjiǎo) Danish: varsomt (da), forsigtigt (da) Finnish: varovasti (fi)

French: doucement (fr), précautionneusement (fr) Norwegian: forsiktig (no), varsom (no), sirlig (no), nennsom (no) Romanian: cu precauție (ro), cu băgare de seamă (ro)

Adjective

gingerly (comparative more gingerly, superlative most gingerly)

1. (dated) Ginger.
   • 1886, Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge

     ...penetrating cautiously into dark cellars, sallying forth with gingerly tread to the garden, now leaf-strewn by autumn winds...

Anagrams

• niggerly

References

• “gingerly” in the Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper, 2001