From Spanish (southwestern U.S.), Spanish: “seed, pip,” probably derivative of the same Romance base, pep- (unattested), as Old French pepin pippin
If you’re following a recipe that calls for pepitas, you'll need pumpkin or squash seeds. Pepitas also make a delicious, nutritious snack on their own. Pepita is borrowed straight from Spanish, where it means "little seed." Interestingly, French has a similar word, pépite, referring to a nugget or small bit of something good, such as a pépite de chocolat, a "chocolate chip." In English, we use the term pepita specifically for the small, green, hull-less seeds found in certain squashes, especially pumpkins.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We especially enjoyed the chunky guacamole served with crispy pork belly, the yellowfin tuna tostados served with a pepita salsa matcha, and the butterflied bronzino served with a tomato avocado salsa and house-made tortillas.
From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026
“This is the perfect make-ahead dessert because both the roasted rhubarb and strawberry mixture and the pepita crunch can be made up to 3 days ahead,” according to Catalano.
From Salon ● May 23, 2025
If you want to crack open the seeds after roasting and just eat the more tender inner pepita, that’s fine too – kind of as you would eat a sunflower seed.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 26, 2023
One morning last week, Clark made the first batch of the new Squish Squash Bon with a squash confection and a pepita gianduja.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 24, 2016
The parish priest of Tabaco, however, almost always carried a pepita in his mouth.
From The Former Philippines thru Foreign Eyes by Craig, Austin
Pepita Sandwich is an Argentinian cartoonist, illustrator and author living in New York City.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 17, 2022
Pepita Redhair, a 27-year-old Navajo woman who dreamt of becoming an engineer and loved skateboarding, was last seen in March 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
From Reuters ● Sep. 26, 2021
And part of that has to do with Isabella’s partner in Pepita, Taha Ismail, also the beverage director for all of the top chef’s restaurants.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 1, 2015
Pepita the rescue dog and Guapo the slobbering stray circle the tables.
From New York Times ● Nov. 15, 2012
Guido hastily gave her a coin, and urged her to begone; for he did not want Pepita to see her, or to hear what she had to say.
From The Fairies and the Christmas Child by Gask, Lilian
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
