peppercorn

American  

[pep-er-kawrn] / ˈpɛp ərˌkɔrn /

noun

1. the berry of the pepper plant, Piper nigrum, dried and used as a condiment, in pickling, etc.

2. anything very small or insignificant.

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adjective

1. (of hair) growing in tight spirals.

peppercorn British  

/ ˈpɛpəˌkɔːn /

noun

1. the small dried berry of the pepper plant ( Piper nigrum )

2. something trifling

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Other Word Forms

• peppercornish adjective
• peppercorny adjective

Etymology

Origin of peppercorn

before 1000; Middle English pepercorn; Old English piporcorn. See pepper, corn ¹

Explanation

If you've ever filled a pepper grinder, you know what peppercorns are — they're those tiny round balls that become black pepper when they're crushed. Before they're harvested, peppercorns are berries on a vine. The plant is native to Kerala, India, but grows in many warm places, including Vietnam, which exports most of the world's peppercorns. Once dried, peppercorns are ground and used to season food. Most are black, but you can also find green, white, and even pink peppercorns, which all have slightly different flavors.

Example Sentences

To investigate the source of mummy scents, researchers examined the air surrounding extremely small mummy fragments about the size of a peppercorn.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

Then came thick-cut, tableside-smoked bacon glazed with maple and peppercorn alongside a fig-topped heirloom tomato salad.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026

Prince Andrew is facing scrutiny over his Royal Lodge home in Windsor Great Park, where he has paid a "peppercorn rent" for more than 20 years.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2025

We’re not here, after all, to organize salad ingredients or taste a sauce, even though we suddenly may find ourselves cheering a green peppercorn dressing with preserved lime.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025

People nearby catch a glimpse of tiny cinnamon-colored ears and two peppercorn eyes peering out of the basket.

From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli