Meaning & use
gingerbread
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
A sweet, spicy cake or cookie made with ginger and often molasses or honey.
Grammar: Uncountable as a substance; countable when referring to a piece or type.
Patterns
- a piece of gingerbread
- gingerbread man
- gingerbread house
We baked gingerbread cookies for the holidays.
The smell of gingerbread filled the kitchen.
noununcountablefigurative
Elaborate, decorative architectural ornamentation, especially on Victorian buildings.
Grammar: Used figuratively to describe ornate woodwork or trim.
Patterns
- gingerbread trim
- gingerbread house
The old house was famous for its gingerbread trim along the porch.
They restored the gingerbread details on the Victorian facade.
Common combinations
- gingerbread man
- The children decorated a gingerbread man with icing.
- gingerbread house
- We made a gingerbread house for the school fair.
- gingerbread cookie
- She gave me a gingerbread cookie with my coffee.
- gingerbread latte
- In winter, many cafes sell gingerbread lattes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ginger cake
- A cake flavored with ginger; similar but not identical, as gingerbread is often denser and may be cookie-like.
Commonly confused: gingerbread or ginger snap?
gingerbread vs ginger snap
A ginger snap is a thin, crisp cookie; gingerbread is softer and often cake-like.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'gingerbread' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Gingerbread is uncountable, so 'a gingerbread' or 'gingerbreads' is wrong. 'A gingerbread house' is a common countable compound.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gingerbread”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.