adv
gingerly
Gingerly (adv) means Very carefully and cautiously, so as not to cause harm or damage.
adv
1
Very carefully and cautiously, so as not to cause harm or damage.
"Then of a sudden the rope was still—the stone had caught at the very edge. Gingerly the ape-man clambered up the frail rope."
— Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan (1913)
"He placed the glass jar gingerly on the concrete step."
2
Mostly describing dancing or walking: performed with small, delicate steps, in a dainty way; alternatively, done with exaggerated refinement, in an affected, mincing way.
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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.
Rhymes for gingerly
See all rhymes for gingerly →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of gingerly?
"gingerly" (adv) means very carefully and cautiously, so as not to cause harm or damage.
What are the different meanings of gingerly?
"gingerly" has 2 main meanings: 1. Very carefully and cautiously, so as not to cause harm or damage; 2. Mostly describing dancing or walking: performed with small, delicate steps, in a dainty way; alternatively, done with exaggerated refinement, in an affected, mincing way.
