# gingerly

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈdʒɪn(d)ʒəli/ · frequency rank #47,649

## Definitions
1. In a cautious and delicate manner; (very) carefully or cautiously.
2. Chiefly of dancing or walking: done with small, dainty steps; daintily; also, with excessive delicacy; affectedly, mincingly.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **ginger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ginger-vs-gingerly)

## Common misspellings (13)
`ggingerly`, `gignerly`, `ginegrly`, `gingelry`, `gingerlly`, `gingerlyy`, `gingerrly`, `gingeryl`, `ginggerly`, `gingrely`, `ginngerly`, `gnigerly`, `igngerly`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gingerly