A spicy, fragrant root used as a seasoning or medicine; as an adjective, a light reddish or orange-brown color, especially of hair.
From Old English *gingifer*, from Latin *zingiberi*, from Greek *zingiberis*, originally from an Indic language (compare Sanskrit *śṛṅgavera*). The plant and its name traveled with trade routes from South Asia to Europe. Its color sense came later from the root’s appearance.
Ginger has been medicine, spice, and luxury for thousands of years — at one point worth its weight in gold. The leap from root to hair color shows how our senses borrow from each other: we taste a spice, then see its shade on someone’s head.
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