ginkgo
noun
called also maidenhair tree
Did you know?
There is only one living representative of the gymnosperm order Ginkgoales, and that is the tree Ginkgo biloba. Native to China, the ginkgo has existed for some 250 million years and is often termed a living fossil. It has long been planted in Chinese and Japanese temple gardens, and is valued in many parts of the world as an attractive, fungus- and insect-resistant ornamental tree. It tolerates cold weather and can survive the adverse atmospheric conditions of urban areas. The light-colored wood, is soft and weak and has little economic value. The leaves are fan-shaped and leathery. The silvery nut, when roasted, is considered a delicacy. Studies have suggested that ginkgo supplements can enhance memory function in the elderly and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Examples of ginkgo in a Sentence
Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Chinese lanterns, fall leaves, nigella pods, and ginkgo leaves make special additions; attach using fine wire.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025
However, a genus can also be monotypic, containing only one single, unique species such as a narwhal, ginkgo tree or platypus.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The giant ginkgo doesn’t change much, but everything around it does, and Enyedi seems determined to show us how fragile, and culturally contingent our idea of reality, really is.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ginkgo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ginkgo. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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ginkgo
noun
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