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
There’s also cocktails from the mixologist Jason Diaz: The Sultan’s Touch combines vodka, za’atar dry vermouth, and Castelvetrano brine, while the Leila Negroni mixes gin with coconut pandan Campari and vermouth. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2025 Sunday: $3 mimosa, $7 free play ‘88 (gin, lemon, and bubbles), $8 fruit and cheese. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
With market participants worried about deflation and banks struggling to gin up demand for loans, there has been a flood of funds into government bonds, driving yields to record lows. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2025 The penalty was befitting the crime ginned up by Trump-hating New York City prosecutor Alvin Bragg, who saw as his duty assuring Trump never returned to the White House. Nolan Finley, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near gin

Cite this Entry

“Gin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gin. Accessed 28 Jan. 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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