bird pepper

American  

noun

1. a variety of pepper, Capsicum anuum glabriusculum, with small, elongated berries.

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bird pepper British  

noun

1. a tropical solanaceous plant, Capsicum frutescens , thought to be the ancestor of the sweet pepper and many hot peppers

2. the narrow podlike hot-tasting fruit of this plant

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Etymology

Origin of bird pepper

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

When even the white rice, the final refuge of the Asian tongue, began to arrive at the table with halved Thai bird peppers on top, the seeds squinting above it, we squirmed in terror.

From The New Yorker

When you snag a table at Pok Pok Phat Thai, you will find a condiment caddy holding jars of white sugar, ground dried chile, tiny bird peppers in fish sauce and sliced chiles in vinegar.

From Los Angeles Times

The Texas bird pepper, obtained from Dr. Samuel Brown of Natchez, Mississippi, was a Jefferson favorite.

From Southern Living

Now that the Obamas are growing vegetables on the South Lawn of the White House, Monticello has become a source of heirloom varieties like Tennis Ball lettuce and Texas bird peppers.

From New York Times

The West Indian stomachic man-dram is prepared by mashing a few pods of bird pepper and mixing them with sliced cucumber and shallots, to which have been added a little lime-juice and Madeira wine.

From Project Gutenberg