Mid 16th century; earliest use found in William Turner (d. 1568), naturalist and religious controversialist. Origin uncertain. Probably a transferred use of Anglo-Norman piperounge, piperonge, peperonge, poperouge rose hip, of uncertain origin: perhaps from either Old French pepin seed of fleshy fruit or Anglo-Norman peple, pople, pueple wild plum, bullace + rouge red, or perhaps from post-classical Latin berberis + a suffix of uncertain origin.