ginger talk

noun

A speech, particularly one given to salespeople, aimed at inspiring and boosting confidence.

First used Early to mid 20ᵗʰ century.
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Meanings

nounginger talk (countable and uncountable, plural ginger talks)

plural ginger talks

  1. UScountableobsoleteuncountableA speech, particularly one given to salespeople, aimed at inspiring and boosting confidence.First known use Early to mid 20ᵗʰ century.

    Thats’ Art’s number one “Ginger Talk,” honey. He gives it to the salesmen every Monday.

    1954, Eleanor Bayer and Leo Bayer, Third Best Sport, page 21
    2 more examples

    […] the psychology of salesmanship, when it does not degenerate into a collection of bromidic maxims or a brisk and stimulating bit of “ginger talk,” consists for the most part of the general facts of human nature […]

    1917, Harry L. Hollingworth and A. T. Poffenberger, chapter 13, in Applied Psychology, page 246

    Come on fellows, let’s work up some real genuine enthusiasm and all boost together for the snappiest dinner yet! Elegant eats, short ginger-talks and memories shared together of the brightest, gladdest days of life.

    1922, Sinclair Lewis, chapter 15, in Babbitt, page 191

Origin

From the idea of gingering a horse to make it seem more lively, or adding ginger to spice up a food or beverage; compare ginger group. Perhaps coined by Worthington C. Holman, author of Ginger Talks: The Talks of a Sales Manager to His Men (1905).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

ginger talk. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ginger%20talk

MLA

“ginger talk.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ginger%20talk. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ginger talk,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ginger%20talk.

Source: ginger talk on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.