Scoville scale

American  

[skoh-vil skeyl] / ˈskoʊ vɪl ˌskeɪl /

noun

1. a scale of spicy taste for a chile pepper when assigned a numerical measure in Scoville units or Scoville heat units, originally derived from a subjective method of measurement, the Scoville test, but now determined by a chemical measure of capsaicin levels.

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Etymology

Origin of Scoville scale

First recorded in 1980–85; named after Wilbur L. Scoville (1865–1942), American pharmacist who created the “Scoville Organoleptic Test,” now standardized as the Scoville scale

Example Sentences

So if, like me, you grew up on boiled potatoes and seem to be made entirely of capsaicin, you may just have to settle for being down at the lower end of the Scoville scale.

From Salon • Feb. 5, 2024

That segues into the claustrophobic night terrors of Shadows Follow; while Screaming Suicide is a more straightforward metal workout that still registers at the top of the Scoville scale.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2023

Hollerpeño: The absolutely hottest pepper on the Scoville scale.

From Washington Post • Sep. 1, 2022

The mental heat they give off places them at the far end of the Scoville scale, yet they are plump with soul and real feeling.

From New York Times • Dec. 10, 2015

So there's a scale, the Scoville scale, that we chili-fanciers use to talk about how spicy a pepper is.

From Little Brother by Doctorow, Cory