Meanings
- AustraliaNew ZealandUKuncountablePrejudice or discrimination against people with red hair.
A young girl asked the website: "What is the difference between racism, gingerism and sexism? "Nothing, that's what.
2004 July 22, “Red alert over an annoying prejudice.”, in Huddersfield Daily Examiner2 more examples
Gingerism is popular with comedians and audiences, and just as addicts take methadone instead of heroin, ginger gags are a safe, controlled substitute for ....
1997, Oliver Double, Stand Up!: On Being a Comedian, page 219Gingerism in the workplace could form the basis of formal grievances or constructive dismissal cases, an employment lawyer has warned.
2007 June 14, “Red hair bullying cases could end up in court”, in The RegisterSynonyms: gingerphobia
Synonyms & antonyms
nounPrejudice or discrimination against people with red hair.
Origin
- Proto-Dravidian*wēr
- Sauraseni Prakrit𑀲𑀺𑀁𑀕𑀺𑀯𑁂𑀭 (siṃgivera)
- Ancient Greekζιγγίβερις (zingíberis)
- Latinzingiberi
- Late Latingingiber
- Proto-West Germanic*gingiberō
- Old Englishgingifer
- Old Frenchgingembreinflu.
- Middle Englishgingivere
- Middle Englishgingere
- Englishginger
- Englishgingerism
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
gingerism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gingerism
“gingerism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gingerism. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gingerism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gingerism.
Source: gingerism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.