adj · adv · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈdʒɪn(d)ʒəli/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈd͡ʒɪnd͡ʒɚli/
CMU ARPABET:JH IH1 N JH ER0 L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Often of movements: very careful, cautious, or delicate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ginger, gingerish, tentative, wary
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Often of a person or the way they move: dainty, delicate; also, excessively delicate; affected, mincing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
In a cautious and delicate manner; (very) carefully or cautiously.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He placed the glass jar gingerly on the concrete step.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ginger, tentatively, warily
Antonyms: none provided
4
adv
Meaning 4
Chiefly of dancing or walking: done with small, dainty steps; daintily; also, with excessive delicacy; affectedly, mincingly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
with extreme care or delicacy- W.S.White
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they proceeded with gingerly footwork over the jagged stones
the issue was handled only in a gingerly way
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adverb
Meaning 6
in a gingerly manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
gingerly I raised the edge of the blanket
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
The second element is -ly; the first element may be Anglo-Norman gençur or Old French gençor, gensor, comparative forms (also attested as positives) of gent (“beautiful, noble, pleasant, courteous”). The Oxford English Dictionary notes, however, that there is a gap of a few centuries between the last appearance of gençor, etc., and the first appearance of gingerly. The adjective is derived from the adverb, possibly because -ly is also a suffix forming adjectives.
Across languages
Translations
36 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
предпазливо
(predpazlivo)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Bulgarian:
внимателно
(vnimatelno)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Chinese Mandarin:
小心翼翼
(xiǎoxīnyìyì)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Danish:
varsomt
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Danish:
forsigtigt
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Dutch:
behoedzaam
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Dutch:
voorzichtig
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Finnish:
varovasti
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
French:
doucement
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
French:
précautionneusement
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Georgian:
წინდახედული
(c̣indaxeduli)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Georgian:
ფრთხილად
(prtxilad)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
German:
behutsam
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
German:
sanft
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
German:
vorsichtig
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
German:
zimperlich
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Hungarian:
óvatosan
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Italian:
cautamente
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Latin:
sēnsim
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Norwegian:
forsiktig
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Norwegian:
nennsomt
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Norwegian:
sirlig
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Norwegian:
varsomt
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Portuguese:
cautelosamente
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Portuguese:
cuidadosamente
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Romanian:
cu băgare de seamă
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Romanian:
cu precauție
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Russian:
бе́режно
(bérežno)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Russian:
не́жно
(néžno)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Russian:
осторо́жно
(ostoróžno)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Spanish:
cautelosamente
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Spanish:
cuidadosamente
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Spanish:
delicadamente
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Swedish:
varsamt
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Ukrainian:
обережно
(oberežno)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
Ukrainian:
ніжно
(nižno)
— in a cautious and delicate manner — see also carefully, cautiously
