gingerly
Americanadverb
adjective
adverb
adjective
Other Word Forms
- gingerliness noun
Etymology
Origin of gingerly
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A few days into the first leg, Mr. Tesson’s party gingerly navigated a ridge at risk of avalanche, “tiptoeing over Fabergé eggshells.”
He immediately signaled toward the bench for a sub and walked gingerly back to the sideline while grabbing toward his right knee.
From Los Angeles Times
In the first five days, forensic experts gingerly removed earth, millimeter by millimeter, recovering 3,463 bone fragments.
From Barron's
Trier wisely leaves the specifics of this father-daughter tension vague, painting his characters gingerly and with loving detail until the knockout final stretch of the film pulls back, revealing a full family portrait.
From Salon
“Sunk in tar pit,” he declared, gingerly backing out of the puddle.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
