pepperoni

American  

[pep-uh-roh-nee] / ˌpɛp əˈroʊ ni /

Or peperoni

noun

1. a highly seasoned, hard sausage of beef and pork.

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pepperoni British  

/ ˌpɛpəˈrəʊnɪ /

noun

1. a highly seasoned dry sausage of pork and beef spiced with pepper, used esp on pizza

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Etymology

Origin of pepperoni

1920–25, < Italian peperoni, plural of peperone cayenne pepper plant, augmentative of pepe pepper

Explanation

Pepperoni is a flavorful sausage that's usually cut in thin slices. On pizza night, you and your sister might argue about toppings: you prefer pepperoni, while she likes mushrooms and olives. Officially, pepperoni is a variety of salami, a sausage that makes most people think of sandwiches rather than pizza. Usually pepperoni is bright red, with a peppery, smoky flavor and a soft, chewy texture. Rather than black pepper, most pepperoni is flavored with paprika, a seasoning made from sweet bell peppers. The origin of the name backs this up: it comes from the Italian peperone, "bell pepper."

Example Sentences

Curious, I whipped up a batch and used it as a dipping sauce for a slice of her first-rate pepperoni pizza.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

My Domino’s order is a small pepperoni, pineapple, olives and sausage slice ... hand tossed, cheesed up, and then I will get a side of garlic knots and a side of buffalo wings with ranch.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

It did have cheese, though, and pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, onion, and green peppers.

From Slate • Nov. 13, 2025

“They brought food traditions with them. You get these unique regional dishes, like pepperoni rolls. And baked spaghetti starts to look like part of that same pattern.”

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2025

We shared a pizza: half pepperoni, half anchovies.

From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli

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