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

Each one has a crisp, dramatically puffed border surrounding a baked egg, with salty pancetta, sharp pecorino and enough black pepper to send the whole thing in a cacio e pepe direction.

From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026

Crack one egg into each center, then scatter with cubed pancetta, grated pecorino and plenty of black pepper.

From Salon ● Jul. 20, 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

These savory muffins, made with buttermilk, cornmeal, black pepper and just enough onion and garlic powder, are tender, fragrant and endlessly snackable.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

Tonight’s rui fish was spiced with black pepper and turmeric, and Ma had made her tasty cauliflower and potato curry.

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins