Dictionary.com

gingerly

[ jin-jer-lee ]
/ ˈdʒɪn dʒər li /
See synonyms for: gingerly / gingerliness on Thesaurus.com

adverb

with great care or caution; warily.

adjective

cautious, careful, or wary.

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?
Question 1 of 10
seclusion
a false belief or opinion.
the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.
the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of gingerly

1510–20; ginger-, perhaps <Middle French gensor, genzor delicate, pretty, positive use of comparative of gentgentle; see -ly

OTHER WORDS FROM gingerly

gin·ger·li·ness, noun

Words nearby gingerly

gingerbread tree, ginger family, ginger group, ginger jar, ginger lily, gingerly, ginger nut, gingerroot, gingersnap, ginger up, ginger wine
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to gingerly

warily, hesitantly, delicately, cautiously, reluctantly, safely, discreetly, timidly, calculating, cautious, chary, circumspect, considerate, dainty, delicate, discreet, fastidious, guarded, hesitant, reluctant

Example sentences from the Web for gingerly

British Dictionary definitions for gingerly

gingerly
/ (ˈdʒɪndʒəlɪ) /

adverb

in a cautious, reluctant, or timid manner

adjective

cautious, reluctant, or timid

Derived forms of gingerly

gingerliness, noun

Word Origin for gingerly

C16: perhaps from Old French gensor dainty, from gent of noble birth; see gentle
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012