A yellow oil with a pungent taste, present in fresh ginger; specifically (more fully "6-gingerol") a compound which is the principal component of this. In later use also: any of various substituted derivatives or longer-chain analogues of 6-gingerol.
Origin
Late 19th century. From ginger + -ol.
Definition of gingerol in US English:
gingerol
nounˈdʒɪn(d)ʒ(ə)rɒl
A yellow oil with a pungent taste, present in fresh ginger; specifically (more fully "6-gingerol") a compound which is the principal component of this. In later use also: any of various substituted derivatives or longer-chain analogues of 6-gingerol.