peppercorn

the word "peppercorn" is a transparent compound from old english, directly combining "pepper," the name of the spice, with "corn," a generic term for a grain or seed. this literally describes the product as the "seed of the pepper plant." the term's journey into english is straightforward, with "pepper" itself having a long history, borrowed from latin and ultimately tracing back to an indian source via greek. the secondary meaning of "a trifle" or "something insignificant," as in a "peppercorn rent," arose metaphorically in the 16th century from the small size and low value of a single dried berry.

Structure: pepper + corn pepper: from old english pipor, from latin piper, from greek péperi, likely of indian origin. denotes the spice plant or its fruit. corn: from old english corn, meaning "grain, seed, or small hard particle." denotes a small, hard seed or grain.