gingerbread

noun

gin·​ger·​bread ˈjin-jər-ˌbred 

1

: a cake whose ingredients include molasses and ginger

2

[from the fancy shapes and gilding formerly often applied to gingerbread] : lavish or superfluous ornament especially in architecture

gingerbread adjective

gingerbreaded

ˈjin-jər-ˌbre-dəd 

adjective

gingerbready

ˈjin-jər-ˌbre-dē 

adjective

Examples of gingerbread in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

See six-foot snowmen, candy canes, a sleigh, gingerbread houses, snow globe display, Christmas trees, and thousands of ornaments. —Michele Herrmann, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

During the holidays, local architects and engineering firms design epic gingerbread houses, as hotel visitors vote on their favorites to benefit a children's charity. —Sheeka Sanahori, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2024

There was Santa Claus, a gingerbread house, a boy with a snowball. —Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024

Our little dog Coco is a skilled floor sweeper, this is her favorite time of year with powdered sugar and other gingerbread house materials flying everywhere. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gingerbread

• gingerbread man

Kids Definition

gingerbread

noun

gin·​ger·​bread ˈjin-jər-ˌbred 

1

: a cake made with molasses and flavored with ginger

2

: showy ornamentation especially in architecture

gingerbread adjective