pepperoni

American  

[pep-uh-roh-nee] / ˌpɛp əˈroʊ ni /

Or peperoni

noun

1. a highly seasoned, hard sausage of beef and pork.

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pepperoni British  

/ ˌpɛpəˈrəʊnɪ /

noun

1. a highly seasoned dry sausage of pork and beef spiced with pepper, used esp on pizza

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Etymology

Origin of pepperoni

1920–25, < Italian peperoni, plural of peperone cayenne pepper plant, augmentative of pepe pepper

Explanation

Pepperoni is a flavorful sausage that's usually cut in thin slices. On pizza night, you and your sister might argue about toppings: you prefer pepperoni, while she likes mushrooms and olives. Officially, pepperoni is a variety of salami, a sausage that makes most people think of sandwiches rather than pizza. Usually pepperoni is bright red, with a peppery, smoky flavor and a soft, chewy texture. Rather than black pepper, most pepperoni is flavored with paprika, a seasoning made from sweet bell peppers. The origin of the name backs this up: it comes from the Italian peperone, "bell pepper."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pepperoni

My Domino’s order is a small pepperoni, pineapple, olives and sausage slice ... hand tossed, cheesed up, and then I will get a side of garlic knots and a side of buffalo wings with ranch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026

It did have cheese, though, and pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, onion, and green peppers.

From Slate ● Nov. 13, 2025

For him that means a tightly edited menu of classics like pepperoni, meatball and a white pie with mushrooms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2025

"Disrespect the s**t out of vegetables. Beat them up. Blister them. Puree them. Add tons of chili, vinegars, sweet stuff. Throw in something ridiculous you love. You like pepperoni pizza? Cool, puree pepperoni with vegetables."

From Salon ● May 23, 2025

“No way,” Erin said, looking behind me, as her face turned a shade of pepperoni.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

Related Words

• bratwurst