pimento
UK[pɪˈmɛntəʊ]US[pɪˈmɛntoʊ]
n
a red, bell-shaped pepper with a sweet, mild flavor.
n
the berry of a tropical American tree, used as a spice; allspice.
Etymology
the word 'pimento' entered english in the 17th century from spanish 'pimiento', meaning 'pepper'. the spanish term itself derives from the late latin 'pigmentum', which originally meant 'coloring matter, paint'. this latin root is related to 'pingere', meaning 'to paint'. the semantic shift from 'paint' to 'pepper' likely occurred because of the vibrant red color of the ripe fruit. thus, the modern english word for a sweet pepper or the allspice berry carries a trace of its ancient association with color and pigmentation.
Analysis
this word is a loanword adopted as a single, unanalyzable unit in english. it does not contain separable morphemes based on its current english spelling.
Examples
the salad was garnished with slices of red pimento.
she added a pinch of ground pimento to the stew for a warm, aromatic flavor.
stuffed olives often contain a small piece of pimento inside.