gingerly

[jin-jer-lee]

See more synonyms for gingerly on Thesaurus.com

adverb

with great care or caution; warily.

adjective

cautious, careful, or wary.

Origin of gingerly

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

Related formsgin·ger·li·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for gingerly on Thesaurus.com

1. cautiously, carefully, prudently.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for gingerly

Contemporary Examples

I gingerly walked down the center staircase and out into what was a chilly, sunny October morning.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything
Liz Seccuro
December 16, 2014
Gingerly, about 30 couples lay down and squatted on mats and rugs for the mass face-sit.
Britain’s Record-Breaking Face-Sitting Porn Protest
Nico Hines
December 12, 2014
The political and cultural climate was shifting, but gingerly.
How Robin Williams’ Mrs. Doubtfire Won the Culture Wars
Tim Teeman
August 13, 2014
He gingerly lifted it up from its defensive position outside the army barracks and placed it in my hand.
Creating Consequences for South Sudan’s Political Elite
Justine Fleischner
July 9, 2014
A curvy woman, dressed entirely in black, gingerly ambles down the stairs, nearly tripping over the bottom step.
‘My Granny The Escort’: Meet 85-Year-Old Sheila Vogel-Coupe, Britain’s Oldest Prostitute
Marlow Stern
June 3, 2014

Historical Examples

Tobe set down the pitcher as gingerly as if it had been a soap-bubble.
Southern Lights and Shadows
Various
Jed gingerly shook the extended hand and fled, his face scarlet.
Shavings
Joseph C. Lincoln
"Medicine," the sergeant said, handing it gingerly to Stern.
Martians Never Die
Lucius Daniel
He stepped, when they alighted from the lift, as gingerly as though he trod on tacks.
The Best Short Stories of 1920
Various
Gingerly he picked it up, with a wild hope that it would be all right.
The Trail of '98
Robert W. Service

British Dictionary definitions for gingerly

gingerly

adverb

in a cautious, reluctant, or timid manner

adjective

cautious, reluctant, or timid

Derived Formsgingerliness, noun

Word Origin

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

Word Origin and History for gingerly

adv.

1510s, "elegantly, daintily," perhaps from Old French gensor, comp. of gent "dainty, delicate," from Latin gentius "(well)-born" (see gentle). Meaning "extremely cautiously" is from c.1600.

gingerly

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Synonyms

Examples from the Web for gingerly

Contemporary Examples

I gingerly walked down the center staircase and out into what was a chilly, sunny October morning.

Gingerly, about 30 couples lay down and squatted on mats and rugs for the mass face-sit.

The political and cultural climate was shifting, but gingerly.

He gingerly lifted it up from its defensive position outside the army barracks and placed it in my hand.

A curvy woman, dressed entirely in black, gingerly ambles down the stairs, nearly tripping over the bottom step.

Historical Examples

Tobe set down the pitcher as gingerly as if it had been a soap-bubble.

Jed gingerly shook the extended hand and fled, his face scarlet.

"Medicine," the sergeant said, handing it gingerly to Stern.

He stepped, when they alighted from the lift, as gingerly as though he trod on tacks.

Gingerly he picked it up, with a wild hope that it would be all right.

gingerly

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for gingerly

adv.

Origin of gingerly