gin

1 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a colorless alcoholic beverage made from distilled or redistilled neutral grain spirits flavored with juniper berries and aromatics (such as anise and caraway seeds)
2
a
b
: the act of laying down a full hand of matched cards in gin rummy
ginny adjective

gin

2 of 5

noun (2)

: any of various tools or mechanical devices: such as
b
: a snare or trap for game

gin

3 of 5

verb (1)

ginned; ginning

transitive verb

1
: to come up with : generate
usually used with up
gin up enthusiasm
2
: to separate (cotton fiber) from seeds and waste material
3
: snare
ginner noun

gin

4 of 5

conjunction

dialect
: if

gin

5 of 5

verb (2)

gan ˈgan How to pronounce gin (audio) ; ginning
archaic
: begin

Examples of gin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
To make it, combine 2.5 oz Sake ONO, 0.5 oz premium gin, 0.25 oz premium vodka and 2 dashes of orange bitters in a mixing glass. Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 Conversation and Ruinart flowed, as did cocktails—Tokyo Garden, a gin, shiso and yuzu mix proved very popular. Funmi Fetto, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
But: Was this all a ploy to gin up interest in a new album Tory is allegedly releasing this Friday, March 7? Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2025 Instead of asking one of the many people who have been involved in the Bond franchise over the past several decades to perform, the show ginned up something rather random. Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gin

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

by shortening & alteration from geneva

Noun (2)

Middle English gin, from Anglo-French, short for engin — more at engine entry 1

Conjunction

perhaps by contraction from dialect gif if + an if

Verb (2)

Middle English ginnen, short for beginnen

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Conjunction

1580, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gin was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Gin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gin. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

gin

1 of 3 noun

gin

2 of 3 verb
ginned; ginning
: to separate (cotton fiber) from seeds and waste material
ginner noun

gin

3 of 3 noun
: a clear strong alcoholic liquor flavored with juniper berries
Etymology

Noun

Middle English gin "a mechanical device, skill, trick," from early French engin (same meaning), from Latin ingenium "natural ability or desire to do something, inborn ability," from in "in" and -genium, from gignere "to father, beget" — related to engine, genius, ingenious

Noun

an altered form of earlier geneva "gin (liquor)," from obsolete Dutch genever, literally, "juniper"

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