a pungent condiment obtained from various plants of the genus Piper, especially from the dried berries, used whole or ground, of the tropical climbing shrub P. nigrum.
any plant of the genus Piper.Compare pepper family.
any of several plants of the genus Capsicum, especially C. annuum, cultivated in many varieties, or C. frutescens.
the usually green or red fruit of any of these plants, ranging from mild to very pungent in flavor.
the pungent seeds of several varieties of C. annuum or C. frutescens, used ground or whole as a condiment.
Baseball. pepper game.
verb (used with object)
to season with or as if with pepper.
to sprinkle or cover, as if with pepper; dot.
to sprinkle like pepper.
to hit with rapidly repeated short jabs.
to pelt with or as if with shot or missiles: They peppered the speaker with hard questions.
to discharge (shot or missiles) at something.
Origin of pepper
before 1000; Middle English peper, piper,Old English pipor (>Old Norse pipari, piparr) <Latin piper<Greek péperi; compare Old Frisian piper,Dutch peper,Old High German pfeffar (German Pfeffer); these and Old English pipor perhaps < a common West Germanic borrowing <Latin
My introduction to jerk chicken — its skin soaked in the flavor of sweet smoke, of Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice berries, ginger, and green onion — was during my first year of college, across the Hudson river from a New York town called Kingston.
Until I Can Go Back to My Favorite Restaurant, This Jerk Paste Is the Next Best Thing|Elazar Sontag|September 25, 2020|Eater
Others will also layer on a hint of ground chile or pepper to add a subtle kick.
Turn a cheap chicken dinner into a Turkish street-food getaway|SAVEUR Editors|September 25, 2020|Popular Science
The indictment accused him of using pepper spray on a handcuffed woman, filing a false report about the encounter and encouraging other officers to fake their reports, too.
How Criminal Cops Often Avoid Jail|by Andrew Ford, Asbury Park Press|September 23, 2020|ProPublica
How law enforcement cleared protesters In the same June 2 statement, Park Police said officers used “smoke canisters and pepper balls” to clear protesters but “did not use tear gas or OC Skat Shells.”
How the Trump administration has tried to explain clearing protesters from Lafayette Square|JM Rieger|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Rivera calls adobo and sazón the salt and pepper of Puerto Rican cooking, and he wants his customers to use the products exactly like that.
The Redemption of the Spice Blend|Jaya Saxena|September 10, 2020|Eater
Whisk in the half and half and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole|Carla Hall|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rub the loin with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries|Carla Hall|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Brush the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper.
Make These Barefoot Contessa Chicken Pot Pies|Ina Garten|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, place on a sheet pan, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Make These Barefoot Contessa Chicken Pot Pies|Ina Garten|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Although some groups, through the thick fog of tear gas, pepper spray and smoke that hung over the city, still lingered.
Frat Culture Clashes With Riot Police at Keene, N.H., Pumpkin Festival|Melanie Plenda|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cut rather thin, lay on a gridiron over hot coals; when hot through, lay on a dish, and pepper well.
Housekeeping in Old Virginia|Marion Cabell Tyree
Some of the sailors on board the yacht prepared to lower a boat from the davits, but Pepper Sneed held back.
The Moving Picture Girls|Laura Lee Hope
Take from the fire, and when the water has ceased boiling add a little butter with pepper and salt.
Burroughs' Encyclopaedia of Astounding Facts and Useful Information, 1889|Barkham Burroughs
Whenever the soil is warm and the weather settled, the pepper plants may go out.
The Library of Work and Play: Gardening and Farming.|Ellen Eddy Shaw
And then the crowd went after Jack, Pepper, and Andy pell-mell.
The Putnam Hall Cadets|Arthur M. Winfield
British Dictionary definitions for pepper
pepper
/ (ˈpɛpə) /
noun
a woody climbing plant, Piper nigrum, of the East Indies, having small black berry-like fruits: family Piperaceae
the dried fruit of this plant, which is ground to produce a sharp hot condimentSee also black pepper, white pepper
any of various other plants of the genus PiperSee cubeb, betel, kava
Also called: capsicumany of various tropical plants of the solanaceous genus Capsicum, esp C. frutescens, the fruits of which are used as a vegetable and a condimentSee also bird pepper, sweet pepper, red pepper, cayenne pepper
the fruit of any of these capsicums, which has a mild or pungent taste
the condiment made from the fruits of any of these plants
any of various similar but unrelated plants, such as water pepper
verb(tr)
to season with pepper
to sprinkle liberally; dothis prose was peppered with alliteration
to pelt with small missiles
Word Origin for pepper
Old English piper, from Latin, from Greek peperi; compare French poivre, Old Norse piparr