gingerly

[jin-jer-lee]

adverb

1. with great care or caution; warily.

   Synonyms: prudently, carefully, cautiously

adjective

1. cautious, careful, or wary.

gingerly

/ ˈdʒɪndʒəlɪ /

adverb

1. in a cautious, reluctant, or timid manner

adjective

1. cautious, reluctant, or timid

Other Word Forms

• gingerliness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of gingerly¹

First recorded in 1510–20; ginger-, perhaps from Middle French gensor, genzor “delicate, pretty” (positive use of comparative of gent “high-born, noble,” also “beautiful, shapely,” from Latin genitus “begotten”; genital ) + -ly

Word History and Origins

Origin of gingerly¹

C16: perhaps from Old French gensor dainty, from gent of noble birth; see _gentle

Example Sentences

YARMOUK, Syria — On a ferociously hot summer morning, the inspectors stepped gingerly through an alley and cast a critical eye at the war-withered buildings in this sprawling Palestinian refugee camp on the edge of Damascus.

From Los Angeles Times

Chad Rivera gingerly makes his way to the edge of what looks like an emptied out swimming pool, a lime-green skateboard in one hand, a white cane in the other.

From Los Angeles Times

On a recent Thursday, Jennifer Rogers stepped gingerly across ruins of the ranch house.

From Los Angeles Times

John Meek from Newquay Zoo was also on hand to see the lynx gingerly stroll out into its new home.

From BBC

After Sanders, however, the group gingerly stepped into local electoral politics, giving only its second City Council endorsement in nearly a century to El-Yateem.

From Salon

Related Words

• cautiously 
• delicately 
• discreetly 
• hesitantly www.thesaurus.com
• reluctantly 
• safely 
• timidly www.thesaurus.com
• warily