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Synonyms

hot pepper

American  

noun

  • hot peppers
    plural
  1. any of variously shaped pungent peppers of the genus Capsicum, containing large amounts of capsaicin and usually having thin walls.

  2. a plant bearing such a pepper.


hot pepper British  

noun

  1. any of several varieties of the pepper Capsicum frutescens, esp chilli pepper

  2. the pungent usually small fruit of any of these plants

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of hot pepper

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Fancy cocktail napkins are a big seller, as are specialty jellies in flavors like hot pepper and cinnamon pear.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 6, 2025

Its shelves are stocked with seasonal produce and flowers, the farm’s popular hot pepper sauces and a tightly edited collection of antique table goods including terrines, serving platters and ceramic pitchers.

From New York Times ● Feb. 29, 2024

The hot pepper also grows wild in parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico.

From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2023

We’re one of the largest hot pepper farms in the U.S.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 26, 2023

Unsuspecting, George energetically attacked my mother’s breast only to let go of it instantly and start hollering because of the hot pepper.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

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