Pepper Definition
pĕpər
peppered, peppering, peppers
noun
peppers
A pungent condiment obtained from the small, dried fruits of an Indian vine (Piper nigrum) of the pepper family.
Webster's New World
This smooth, soft-stemmed vine.
Webster's New World
A pungent black or white spice produced from the dried fruit of this plant, used as a condiment.
American Heritage
Any of several other plants of the genus Piper, such as cubeb, betel, and kava.
American Heritage
Any of several tropical American, cultivated varieties of capsicum, having podlike, many-seeded, fruit.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
- Piper nigrum
- Madagascar pepper
- white-pepper
- common pepper
- black-pepper
- capsicum pepper plant
- capsicum
- peppercorn
- spice
- plant
- hot
- fruit
- exercise
- condiment
verb
peppered, peppering, peppers
To sprinkle or flavor with ground pepper.
Webster's New World
To sprinkle freely or thickly.
Webster's New World
To strew something over.
American Heritage
To shower or pelt with many small objects.
A roof peppered with hailstones.
Webster's New World
To strike with small missiles or gunfire.
American Heritage
adjective
Designating a family (Piperaceae, order Piperales) of dicotyledonous plants, including cubeb.
Webster's New World
Other Word Forms of Pepper
Noun
Singular:
pepper
Plural:
peppersOrigin of Pepper
Middle English peper from Old English pipor from Latin piper from Greek peperi of Indic origin Prakrit pipparī from Sanskrit pippalī from pippalam pipal
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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Old English piper, from Latin piper, from an Indo-Aryan source; compare Sanskrit पिप्पलि (pippali, “long pepper").
From Wiktionary
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