pepper
a pungent condiment obtained from various plants of the genus Piper, especially from the dried berries, used whole or ground, of the tropical climbing shrub P. nigrum.
any plant of the genus Piper.: Compare pepper family.
any of several plants of the genus Capsicum, especially C. annuum, cultivated in many varieties, or C. frutescens.
the usually green or red fruit of any of these plants, ranging from mild to very pungent in flavor.
the pungent seeds of several varieties of C. annuum or C. frutescens, used ground or whole as a condiment.
Baseball. pepper game.
to season with or as if with pepper.
to sprinkle or cover, as if with pepper; dot.
to sprinkle like pepper.
to hit with rapidly repeated short jabs.
to pelt with or as if with shot or missiles: They peppered the speaker with hard questions.
to discharge (shot or missiles) at something.
Origin of pepper
1Other words from pepper
- pep·per·er, noun
- pep·per·ish, adjective
- pep·per·ish·ly, adverb
- un·pep·pered, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use pepper in a sentence
Good thing too, because in 2018 Complete Farmer enjoyed its first successes with soybeans and chili peppers.
Lightly season with salt and pepper, and pair with your favorite sauce.
Ease into Winter with Backcountry-Approved Comfort Food | Christina Bernstein | November 12, 2020 | Outside OnlineThe man puts down a bag and took out his own pepper spray, and then used it.
Police investigating attack on Chinese tea shop owner as hate crime | Peter Hermann | November 11, 2020 | Washington PostSeason with 1 teaspoon of the salt and a generous amount of pepper and stir to combine.
This vegetarian Thanksgiving is a one-pan feast: Stuffed squash with broccolini and carrots | Joe Yonan | November 10, 2020 | Washington PostScore the skin of the breast in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to expose the flesh, then generously season with salt and pepper.
Orange-sriracha glazed duck and roasted fruit are a stunning sheet-pan dinner combination | Olga Massov | November 10, 2020 | Washington Post
At that point, a tall, brown-haired man with wire-rimmed glasses came over to me, sat down, and peppered me with questions.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything | Liz Seccuro | December 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe text is peppered with internal rhymes and repeated letter combos.
Well, La Ti Da: Stephin Merritt’s Winning Little Words of Scrabble | David Bukszpan | October 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThough it would be nice if they could do it without being peppered by a bunch of rude questions from Larry King.
Calls to plead with insurance companies are peppered throughout the day.
How Being a Doctor Became the Most Miserable Profession | Daniela Drake | April 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe broadcast was heavily peppered with commercials for Pepsi, Kit Kat, Chevrolet, and KFC.
Our guns peppered their quickest, and it was a treat to see the shrapnel bursting clean and true along the ridge.
In the Ranks of the C.I.V. | Erskine ChildersI had the honor to kiss her Serene Highness's hand, and to talk a great many peppered insipidities suitable to the occasion.
History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XIII. (of XXI.) | Thomas CarlyleEverything was thickly peppered with ashes and the sun shone luridly through the smoke.
Lives of the Fur Folk | M. D. HavilandAnd there was a brisk hail-storm at the gate of the Rockies that peppered us smartly for a few moments.
Over the Rocky Mountains to Alaska | Charles Warren StoddardBoth of these they enfiladed; also they peppered the roads whenever troops were visible moving in or out.
From Capetown to Ladysmith | G. W. Steevens
British Dictionary definitions for pepper
/ (ˈpɛpə) /
a woody climbing plant, Piper nigrum, of the East Indies, having small black berry-like fruits: family Piperaceae
the dried fruit of this plant, which is ground to produce a sharp hot condiment: See also black pepper, white pepper
Also called: capsicum any of various tropical plants of the solanaceous genus Capsicum, esp C. frutescens, the fruits of which are used as a vegetable and a condiment: See also bird pepper, sweet pepper, red pepper, cayenne pepper
the fruit of any of these capsicums, which has a mild or pungent taste
the condiment made from the fruits of any of these plants
any of various similar but unrelated plants, such as water pepper
to season with pepper
to sprinkle liberally; dot: his prose was peppered with alliteration
to pelt with small missiles
Origin of pepper
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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