noun Street Slang 18+

ginger beer

JIN-jer-BEER · noun · offensive

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Definitions

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'Beer' rhymes with 'queer'; now regarded as a slur, included for lexicographic record.

Variants ginger

What does 'ginger beer' mean as slang?

It's dated Cockney rhyming slang for 'queer', shortened to 'ginger', used as an offensive term for a gay man.

Is 'ginger beer' offensive?

Yes — this sense is a slur and is considered offensive; it's recorded here for completeness, not for use.

Where does this usage come from?

'Beer' rhymes with 'queer'. Note that 'ginger beer' also simply means the fizzy drink in ordinary use.