pepper
UK[ˈpɛpə]US[ˈpɛpər]
n
A hot-tasting powder made from dried berries (peppercorns), used to flavor food.
n
A hollow green, red, or yellow vegetable, eaten raw or cooked.
v
To add pepper to food.
v
To cover or fill something with many small things.
Etymology
The journey of 'pepper' is a story of ancient trade and linguistic borrowing. The word entered English via Old English from Latin 'piper', which itself was a borrowing from Greek. The Greek term is believed to have originated from an Indic source, such as Sanskrit 'pippalī', referring to the berry of the pepper plant. This path mirrors the spice trade routes that brought the valuable peppercorns from South Asia to Europe. The core meaning of the word has remained remarkably stable for millennia, consistently denoting the pungent spice, while later extending to name the unrelated Capsicum vegetable due to a perceived similarity in pungency.
Analysis
The word 'pepper' is a simplex loanword. Its spelling and form were borrowed as a whole unit from Old English 'pipor', which came from Latin 'piper', itself borrowed from Greek 'πέπερι' (peperi), likely of ultimate Indic origin (cf. Sanskrit 'pippalī' meaning 'berry, peppercorn').
Examples
Freshly ground black pepper enhances the flavor of the soup.
She stuffed the red peppers with rice and minced meat.
The report was peppered with technical jargon.