peperoncino
noun
pe·pe·ron·ci·no ˌpe-pə-rōn-ˈchē-(ˌ)nō 
variants or peperoncini or pepperoncini
plural peperoncini also peperoncinis or pepperoncinis
1
a
: any of several thin-walled, medium-sized hot peppers used especially in Italian cooking
add one peperoncino to the pasta
imported peperoncini
Note: In Italian, the singular is peperoncino and the plural is peperoncini. In English, peperoncini is also used as a singular and is sometimes pluralized as peperoncinis. The variant singular pepperoncini and plural pepperoncinis are also seen in English.
b
peperoncino : the dried, crushed flakes of any of several red hot peppers used especially in Italian cooking
a pinch of peperoncino
2
peperoncini or pepperoncini : a condiment or garnish made of pickled usually green hot peppers used especially in Italian cooking
a jar of pepperoncini
also : one of these pickled peppers
a pizza garnished with pepperoncinis
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Italian, from peperone "chili pepper" + -cino, variant, with nouns ending in -one, of -ino, diminutive suffix, going back to Latin -īnus -ine entry 1 — more at pepperoni
First Known Use
1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1a