noun

pepper

PEHP-uh

noun

A spice made from the dried berries of the pepper plant, used to add heat and flavor to food.

"She ground fresh black pepper over the salad."

A hollow, seed-filled fruit of the capsicum plant, ranging from mild bell peppers to hot chili varieties.

"He chopped a red pepper into the stir-fry."

verb

To scatter or strike something repeatedly, as if with shot or small particles.

"Reporters peppered the mayor with questions after the announcement."

How to Use Pepper

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA hot spice from a plant, the capsicum vegetable/fruit, or (as a verb) to scatter something across or at someone repeatedly.

Common mistake

In the US, "pepper" alone usually means the ground spice; "bell pepper" or "chili pepper" specifies the vegetable. In the UK, "pepper" often refers to the capsicum vegetable by itself.

Common pairings

salt and pepper pepper someone with questions bell pepper ground pepper

Word Forms

peppered past tense, peppers plural, Peppers plural, peppers singular

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She ground fresh black _____ over the salad.

Etymology

From Old English piper, from Latin piper, ultimately borrowed from an ancient Indian language (compare Sanskrit pippali, "long pepper").

Rhymes for pepper

Culpepper

See all rhymes for pepper →