so far, from:
http://www.geocities.com/etymonline/g2etym.htm

ginger - O.E. gingifer, from M.L. gingiber, from L. zingiberi, from Gk. zingiberis, from Prakrit (Middle Indic) singabera, from Sansk. srngaveram, from srngam "horn" + vera- "body," from the shape of its root. The bread in gingerbread (early 15c.) is M.E. folk etymology; the word is from O.Fr. ginginbrat "preserved ginger," from M.L. gingimbratus "gingered." Gingerbread in the sense of "fussy decoration on a house" is first recorded 1757.
gingerly - 1519, perhaps from O.Fr. gensor, comp. of gent "dainty, delicate," from L. gentius "(well)-born."

probably makes for more questions than answers! but that's really why we're here, right?


formerly known as etaoin...