English · Food & Drink
pepper
/ˈpep.ər/
[/ˈpep.ər/]
spice or vegetable
Beginnernoun
Definition
Pepper is a spice made from dried berries, or a colorful vegetable used in cooking.
Example
She ground fresh black pepper over the soup and added a little salt to taste.
She ground fresh black pepper over the soup and added a little salt to taste.
Etymology
From Old English 'pipor', from Latin 'piper', from Sanskrit 'pippali'.
How & Where It’s Used
Refers both to the table spice and to bell or chili peppers.
Literary Heritage
Pepper was so prized in the Middle Ages that it was used as currency.