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

See Examples For:

black pepper

Then I finish with the zest of half a lemon and as much black pepper as my heart tells me is correct.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

Scatter the pancetta and pecorino around the eggs, then season generously with black pepper.

From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026

In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, oil, buttermilk powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, parsley, black pepper and red pepper until well combined.

From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026

These are exactly what they sound like: tiny oyster crackers tossed with butter, olive oil, Pecorino and far more black pepper than feels reasonable.

From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026

And to me, she was a seed of black pepper.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri