black pepper

American  

noun

1. a hot, sharp condiment prepared from the dried berries of a tropical vine, Piper nigrum.

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black pepper British  

noun

1. a pungent condiment made by grinding the dried unripe berries, together with their black husks, of the pepper plant Piper nigrum

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Compare meaning

How does black-pepper compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• white pepper vs. black pepper

Example Sentences

It also works across the board: flaked salmon with lemon and herbs, crab with celery and a lot of black pepper.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

It’s a spice mix made of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and turmeric.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Finish with scallions, black pepper and a light dusting of Cajun seasoning.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Chavez points to cacio e pepe, a rather simple yet rich dish that calls for spaghetti, olive oil, coarsely ground black pepper, salt, butter and Pecorino Romano.

From Salon • Feb. 26, 2026

At the indoor spice market, the merchants arranged open crates with colored mounds of red saffron threads, yellow turmeric, purple sumac, blue salt, black pepper, brown sugar, and green dried sage.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri