Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Ginger \Gin"ger\, n. [OE. ginger, gingever, gingivere, OF.
   gengibre, gingimbre, F. gingembre, L. zingiber, zingiberi,
   fr. Gr. ?; of Oriental origin; cf. Ar. & Pers. zenjeb[=i]l,
   fr. Skr. ???gav["e]ra, prop., hornshaped; ???ga horn +
   v["e]ra body.]
   1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Zingiber}, of the East and
      West Indies. The species most known is {Z. officinale}.

   2. The hot and spicy rootstock of {Zingiber officinale},
      which is much used in cookery and in medicine.

   {Ginger} {beer or ale}, a mild beer impregnated with ginger.
      

   {Ginger cordial}, a liquor made from ginger, raisins, lemon
      rind, and water, and sometimes whisky or brandy.

   {Ginger pop}. See {Ginger beer} (above).

   {Ginger wine}, wine impregnated with ginger.

   {Wild ginger} (Bot.), an American herb ({Asarum Canadense})
      with two reniform leaves and a long, cordlike rootstock
      which has a strong taste of ginger.

Source : WordNet®

Zingiber officinale
     n : tropical Asian plant widely cultivated for its pungent root;
         source of gingerroot and powdered ginger [syn: {common
         ginger}, {Canton ginger}, {stem ginger}]