n. 1. a. A dark molasses cake flavored with ginger. b. A molasses and ginger cookie cut in various shapes, sometimes elaborately decorated. 2. a. Elaborate architectural ornamentation, as on the trim of gables and porches on a Victorian house. b. Superfluous or tasteless embellishment. [Middle English gingebred, a stiff pudding, preserved ginger, alteration (influenced by bred, bread, bread) of Old French gingembrat, from Medieval Latin *gingibrātum, from gingiber, ginger; see GINGER.] ginger·bread′ adj. ginger·bread′y adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.